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HandWiki. Wild Turkey. Encyclopedia. Available online: https://encyclopedia.pub/entry/34795 (accessed on 22 September 2026).
HandWiki. Wild Turkey. Encyclopedia. Available at: https://encyclopedia.pub/entry/34795. Accessed September 22, 2026.
HandWiki. "Wild Turkey" Encyclopedia, https://encyclopedia.pub/entry/34795 (accessed September 22, 2026).
HandWiki. (2022, November 16). Wild Turkey. In Encyclopedia. https://encyclopedia.pub/entry/34795
HandWiki. "Wild Turkey." Encyclopedia. Web. 16 November, 2022.
Wild Turkey
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The content is sourced from: https://handwiki.org/wiki/Biology:Wild_turkey

The wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) is an upland ground bird native to North America, one of two extant species of turkey, and the heaviest member of the order Galliformes. It is the ancestor to the domestic turkey, which was originally derived from a southern Mexican subspecies of wild turkey (not the related ocellated turkey). Although native to North America, the turkey probably got its name from the domesticated variety being imported to Britain in ships coming from the Levant via Spain. The British at the time therefore associated the wild turkey with the country Turkey and the name prevails. An alternative theory posits that another bird, a guinea fowl native to Madagascar introduced to England by Turkish merchants, was the original source, and that the term was then transferred to the New World bird by English colonizers with knowledge of the previous species.

wild turkey guinea fowl meleagris

References

  1. Wild Turkey Identification and Anatomy. NWTF. Retrieved on 2012-12-19. http://www.nwtf.org/all_about_turkeys/new_turkey_look.html
  2. "Turkey Habitat". Habitat Tracker — Florida State University. http://tracker.cci.fsu.edu/turkey/files/2012/08/Turkey-Printable.pdf. 
  3. Braun, Markus Santhosh; Zimmermann, Stefan; Danner, Maria; Rashid, Harun-or; Wink, Michael (2016). "Corynebacterium uropygiale sp. nov., isolated from the preen gland of Turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo)". Systematic and Applied Microbiology 39 (2): 88–92. doi:10.1016/j.syapm.2015.12.001. PMID 26776107.  https://dx.doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.syapm.2015.12.001
  4. Hill, Geoffrey E.; Doucet, Stéphanie M.; Buchholz, Richard (2005). "The effect of coccidial infection on iridescent plumage coloration in wild turkeys". Animal Behaviour 69 (2): 387–94. doi:10.1016/j.anbehav.2004.03.013.  https://dx.doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.anbehav.2004.03.013
  5. National wild turkey Federation: wild turkey Facts. Nwtf.org. Retrieved on 2012-08-21. http://www.nwtf.org/all_about_turkeys/wild_turkey_facts.html
  6. Wild Turkey Meleagris gallopavo. animals.nationalgeographic.com http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birds/wild-turkey/
  7. Meleagris gallopavo wild turkey. Animal Diversity Web http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Meleagris_gallopavo.html
  8. CRC Handbook of Avian Body Masses by John B. Dunning Jr. (Editor). CRC Press (1992), ISBN:978-0-8493-4258-5.
  9. CRC Handbook of Avian Body Masses, 2nd Edition by John B. Dunning Jr. (Editor). CRC Press (2008), ISBN:978-1-4200-6444-5.
  10. Birds Master Database Search. flmnh.ufl.edu http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/scripts/DBs/birds_pub_proc.asp?page_no=4&MaxRecords=25&record_count=87&total_recs=87&output_style=table_type&family=&genus=&species=&subspecies=®ion=&country=&state=&county=&common_name=Wild+turkey&where_stg=((Genus+=+'Meleagris'+And+Species+=+'gallopavo'))&search_type=&trys=2
  11. Biddle, Tami Davis (2002). Pheasants, Partridges, and Grouse: A Guide to the Pheasants, Partridges, Quails, Grouse, Guineafowl, Buttonquails, and Sandgrouse of the World (Princeton Field Guides). Princeton University Press. ISBN:978-0691089089.
  12. Welcome to the National Wild Turkey Federation | Conserve. Hunt. Share. Nwtf.org. Retrieved on 2012-08-21. http://www.nwtf.org/all_about_turkeys/turkey_records.php
  13. Wood, Gerald (1983). The Guinness Book of Animal Facts and Feats. ISBN 978-0-85112-235-9. https://archive.org/details/guinnessbookofan00wood. 
  14. Dunning, John B. Jr. (ed.). (1992). CRC Handbook of Avian Body Masses. CRC Press. ISBN:978-0-8493-4258-5.
  15. Hogan, C. Michael (2008). Wild turkey: Meleagris gallopavo, GlobalTwitcher.com, ed. N. Stromberg http://www.globaltwitcher.com/artspec_information.asp?thingid=2199
  16. Burke, Matt (April 26, 2017). "Can Turkeys fly?". Metro USA. https://www.metro.us/news/local-news/boston/can-turkeys-fly. 
  17. "Wild Turkey Behavior" (in en). https://www.nwtf.org/hunt/wild-turkey-basics/behavior. 
  18. Kirschbaum, Kari; McCullough, Jason. "Meleagris gallopavo (wild turkey)" (in en). https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Meleagris_gallopavo/. 
  19. Krakauer, Alan H. (2005). "Kin selection and cooperative courtship in wild turkeys". Nature 434 (7029): 69–72. doi:10.1038/nature03325. PMID 15744300. Bibcode: 2005Natur.434...69K.  https://dx.doi.org/10.1038%2Fnature03325
  20. Baker, B. W. (1978). "Ecological factors affecting wild turkey nest predation on south Texas rangelands". Proceedings of the Annual Conference of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies 32: 126–36. 
  21. Holdstock, D. P.; Wallace, M. C.; Ballard, W. B.; Brunjes, J. H.; Phillips, R. S.; Spears, B. L.; Gipson, P. S. (2006). "Male Rio Grande turkey survival and movements in the Texas Panhandle and southwestern Kansas". Journal of Wildlife Management 70 (4): 904–13. doi:10.2193/0022-541x(2006)70[904:mrgtsa2.0.co;2].  https://dx.doi.org/10.2193%2F0022-541x%282006%2970%5B904%3Amrgtsa%5D2.0.co%3B2
  22. Pharris, L. D.; Goetz, R. C. (1980). "An evaluation of artificial wild turkey nests monitored by automatic cameras". Proceedings of the National Wild Turkey Symposium 4: 108–16. 
  23. Williams, L. E.; Austin, D. H.; Eichholz, N. F. (1976). "The breeding potential of the wild turkey hen". Proc. Annu. Conf. Southeast. Assoc. Fish and Wildl. Agencies 30: 371–6. 
  24. Reagan, J. M.; Morgan, K.D. (1980). "Reproductive potential of Rio Grande turkey hens in the Edwards Plateau of Texas". Proc. Natl. Wild Turkey Symp 4: 136–44. 
  25. Peoples, J. C.; Sisson, D. C.; Speake, D. W. (1995). "Mortality of wild turkey poults in coastal plain pine forests". Proceedings of the Annual Conference of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies 49: 448–53. 
  26. Beasom, S.L.; Pattee, O.H. (1975). "An Encounter between a Turkey and a Bullsnake". Wilson Bulletin 87 (2): 281–2. 
  27. Dreibelbis, J. Z.; Melton, K. B.; Aguirre, R.; Collier, B. A.; Hardin, J.; Silvy, N. J.; Peterson, M. J. (2008). "Predation of Rio Grande wild turkey nests on the Edwards Plateau, Texas". The Wilson Journal of Ornithology 120 (4): 906–10. doi:10.1676/07-183.1.  https://dx.doi.org/10.1676%2F07-183.1
  28. McEwan, L. C.; Hirth, D. H. (1980). "Food habits of the bald eagle in north-central Florida". Condor 82 (2): 229–31. doi:10.2307/1367485.  https://dx.doi.org/10.2307%2F1367485
  29. Haucke, H.H. (1971). "Predation by a White-Tailed Hawk and a Harris Hawk on a Wild Turkey Poult". Condor 73 (4): 475. doi:10.2307/1366672.  https://dx.doi.org/10.2307%2F1366672
  30. Glidden, J. W.; Austin, D. E. (1975). "Natality and mortality of wild turkey poults in southwestern New York". Proc. Natl. Wild Turkey Symp 3: 48–54. 
  31. Schemnitz, S.D.; Goerndt, D.L.; Jones, H. (1985). "Habitat needs and management of Merriam's turkeys in southcentral New Mexico". Proc. Natl. Wild Turkey Symp 5: 199–232. 
  32. Golet, G.H.; Golet, H.T.; Colton, A. (2003). "Immature Northern Goshawk Captures, Kills, and Feeds on Adult-Sized Wild Turkey". Journal of Raptor Research 37 (4): 337–40. 
  33. Goldyn, B.; Hromada, M.; Surmacki, A.; Tryjanowski, P. (2003). "Habitat use and diet of the red fox Vulpes vulpes in an agricultural landscape in Poland". Zeitschrift für Jagdwissenschaft 49 (3): 191–200. doi:10.1007/BF02189737.  https://dx.doi.org/10.1007%2FBF02189737
  34. MacCracken, J. G.; Uresh, D. W. (1984). "Coyote foods in the Black Hills, South Dakota". The Journal of Wildlife Management 48 (4): 1420–3. doi:10.2307/3801809.  https://dx.doi.org/10.2307%2F3801809
  35. Reed, J. E.; Ballard, W. B.; Gipson, P. S.; Kelly, B. T.; Krausman, P. R.; Wallace, M. C.; Wester, D. B. (2006). "Diets of free-ranging Mexican gray wolves in Arizona and New Mexico". Wildlife Society Bulletin 34 (4): 1127–33. doi:10.2193/0091-7648(2006)34[1127:dofmgw2.0.co;2].  https://dx.doi.org/10.2193%2F0091-7648%282006%2934%5B1127%3Adofmgw%5D2.0.co%3B2
  36. Beasom, S. L.; Moore, R. A. (1977). "Bobcat food habit response to a change in prey abundance". The Southwestern Naturalist: 451–7. 
  37. Maehr, D. S.; Belden, R. C.; Land, E. D.; Wilkins, L. (1990). "Food habits of panthers in southwest Florida". The Journal of Wildlife Management 54 (3): 420–3. doi:10.2307/3809651.  https://dx.doi.org/10.2307%2F3809651
  38. Lehman, C. P.; Thompson, D. J. (2004). "Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) predation attempts on Merriam's turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo merriami) in the southern Black Hills, South Dakota". Journal of Raptor Research 38 (2): 192. 
  39. Stratman, M. R.; Pelton, M. R. (1999). "Feeding ecology of black bears in northwest Florida". Florida Field Naturalist 27 (3): 95–102. 
  40. ADW: Meleagris gallopavo: INFORMATION. Animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu (2006-03-12). Retrieved on 2012-08-21. http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Meleagris_gallopavo.html
  41. Kennamer, James Earl. Predators and Wild Turkeys. NWTF Wildlife Bulletin NO.16 http://www.nwtf.org/conservation/bulletins/bulletin_16.pdf
  42. Wild Turkey Predators, Wild Turkey Predation: National Wild Turkey Federation. Nwtf.org. Retrieved on 2012-12-19. http://www.nwtf.org/all_about_turkeys/predators.html
  43. Wild Turkey Predators. Waterandwoods.net (2008-09-20). Retrieved on 2012-12-19. http://waterandwoods.net/2008/09/wild-turkey-predators/
  44. Johnson, R.R. (1961). "Aerial Pursuit of Hawks by Turkeys". The Auk 78 (4): 646. doi:10.2307/4082208.  https://dx.doi.org/10.2307%2F4082208
  45. Living with wildlife: Turkey: Minnesota DNR. Dnr.state.mn.us. Retrieved on 2012-12-19. http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/livingwith_wildlife/turkeys/index.html
  46. The American Ornithologists' Union Check-list (5th ed., 1957).
  47. Don Roberson, "Wild Turkey: A Native California Bird?" -- with an excellent map of the pre-Columbian range of the Wild Turkey and the sites of various fossils from the late Pleistocene citing Steadman, David W. (1980). "A review of the osteology and paleontology of turkeys (Aves: Meleagridinae)". Contributions in Science, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County 330: 131–207.  http://creagrus.home.montereybay.com/turkey-in-CA.html
  48. California Department of Fish and Game. Wild Turkey Guide 2005. http://www.dfg.ca.gov/publications/docs/turkeyguide.pdf
  49. Rubio, Tena (November 27, 2015). "Like It or Not, Wild Turkeys Proliferate in East Bay". http://ww2.kqed.org/news/2015/11/27/like-it-or-not-wild-turkeys-proliferate-in-east-bay. 
  50. Smith, Andrew F. (2006). "The Fall and Rise of the Edible Turkey". in Hosking, Richard. Wild Food: Proceedings of the Oxford Symposium on Food and Cookery 2004. Totnes, Devon, UK: Prospect Books. p. 298. ISBN 9781903018439. https://books.google.com/books?id=juAabiJpnn0C. 
  51. Dickson, pp. 368-379
  52. These birds were imported from Mexico, then called the Spanish West Indies. They did not come from Turkey or India, as was widely believed."Talking Turkey", World Wide Words. On line. http://www.worldwidewords.org/articles/turkey.htm
  53. Dickson, p. 363; Maxwell, William Hamilton, The field book; or, Sports and pastimes of the British islands, by the author of 'Wild sports of the West, p. 540, London, 1833, Internet Archive https://archive.org/details/fieldbookorspor00unkngoog/page/n551
  54. Dickson, pp. 363-368
  55. Kennamer, Mary C.. "NWTF Wildlife Bulletin No. 3: Rio Grande Wild Turkey". NWTF. http://www.nwtf.org/conservation/bulletins/bulletin_3_9-9-09.pdf. 
  56. "Oregon State Dept. of Fish and Wildlife, Wildlife Division, Wild Turkey Management Plan". http://www.dfw.state.or.us/wildlife/management_plans/wild_turkey/
  57. Thornton, Erin Kennedy; Emery, Kitty F.; Steadman, David W.; Speller, Camilla; Matheny, Ray; Yang, Dongya (2012). "Earliest Mexican Turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) in the Maya Region: Implications for Pre-Hispanic Animal Trade and the Timing of Turkey Domestication". PLOS ONE 7 (8): e42630. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0042630. PMID 22905156. Bibcode: 2012PLoSO...742630T.  http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?tool=pmcentrez&artid=3414452
  58. "Benjamin Franklin to Sarah Bache, January 26, 1784". https://www.loc.gov/exhibits/treasures/franklin-newrepublic.html#29. 
  59. "The Arms of the United States: Benjamin Franklin and the Turkey". Americanheraldry.org. 2007-05-18. http://americanheraldry.org/pages/index.php?n=MMM.Turkey. 
  60. "Did Benjamin Franklin want the national bird to be a turkey?". https://www.fi.edu/benjamin-franklin/franklin-national-bird. 
  61. Pritzker 367
  62. Pritzker 381, 474
  63. Pritzker 423
  64. "Caddo Nation Today." Texas Beyond History. (retrieved 28 Dec 2010) http://www.texasbeyondhistory.net/tejas/voices/today.html
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