Range

North America is the native home of the wild turkey. Here they live in the United States and Mexico.

Introduced populations of the wild turkey exist in Australia, Germany, New Zealand and on the island of Hawaii.

Habitat

They make their home in forests, savannas, shrublands and grasslands. Wild turkeys will take advantage of man-made habitats such as pastures and orchards.

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Reproduction

Breeding takes place in early spring. Males will mate with multiple females throughout the breeding season. To attract a mate he will create the gobbling sound and strut around with his tails fanned out, the head sitting back and the crop inflated.

Females lay between 4 and 17 eggs which they incubates on their own. These eggs are brown with spots. The male has no involvement with the chicks after mating.

They may lay some of their eggs in to the nest of another female.

Once the eggs hatch the female will provide them food for a few days until they learn how to feed themselves. While they feed themselves the mother will still brood her chicks each night.

Behavior

A wild turkey may run at up to 40km/h (25mph). Their main method of defense against predators is to run away from them.

In flight they are able to reach speeds of up to 88.5km/h (55mph).

Outside the breeding season they will live in a group of up to 20 individuals. During breeding season males form a territory which they defend against others.

Wild turkeys are active by day. At night they find a tree in which to roost.

Predators and Threats

Adult turkeys face predators including coyotes, bobcats, raccoons, cougars and birds of prey such as eagles and owls.

Chicks and eggs face additional predators such as the striped skunk, opossums, foxes, woodchucks, rodents and snakes.

They will defend themselves by pecking with the bill, scratching using its claws and hitting with its wings.

In the early 20th century the wild turkey was almost wiped out due to habitat destruction and hunting. Initially they were targeted for their feathers with the focus on their meat emerging in the 1900s.

Quick facts

The turkey was put forward by Benjamin Franklin to be the United States national bird. It lost out to the bald eagle.

Turkeys have been domesticated and are often farmed. Domestic turkeys have a white tip to their tail unlike most wild turkeys. This is due to them having been domesticated from a population in Mexico which was taken to Europe during the 16th century.

A group of turkeys is known as a rafter.

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