Wild turkey

Meleagris gallopavo

Turkeys

The male needs his females

Wild turkeys, typical American birds, can be seen right at the beginning of Malkia Park, between the guest house and the lynx. We breed a male and three females. The male constantly guards and courts his females. If he didn’t have them, he would make a loud and frequent “whisper”.

The North American wild turkey is leaner and much more colourful than its domesticated relative. It is the largest gallinaceous bird in North America. The head and neck are naked. The skin is coloured blue to purple. Individuals of both sexes have a wattle on the neck, which is, however, much more pronounced in the male. In addition, the turkey has thickened skin folds that turn deep red when excited. Another feature is a long outgrowth of skin over the beak, which in males elongates when excited and then hangs down over the tip of the beak. In females and juveniles, it looks like a small horn on the forehead. The plumage is predominantly dark green with a gold or copper sheen. The feathers on the neck, chest, and back are black edged. The males grow a strange tuft of feathers on their chests, which can reach the ground in old individuals. The legs are pinkish-purple-grey, with a small spur in the male.

Wild turkey

Meleagris gallopavo

Turkeys

The male needs his females

Date of hatching

Unknown

Order

Galliformes

Family

Phasianidae

BODY LENGTH

up to 1.2 m male, female is smaller

Weight

4.5-15.8 kg male
2.7-6.3 kg female

LIFE EXPECTANCY

ca 5 years, record was 13 years

INCUBATION PERIOD

28 days

NUMBER OF EGGS

8-15 creamy white eggs with brown spots

CARE OF THE YOUNG

in the 2nd week they can fly, they become independent in the 3rd month

Occurrence

middle and south of the North America

Food

fruits, roots, seeds, tubers, insects, carcasses, gastropods, amphibians

Wild turkeys, typical American birds, can be seen right at the beginning of Malkia Park, between the guest house and the lynx. We breed a male and three females. The male constantly guards and courts his females. If he didn’t have them, he would make a loud and frequent “whisper”.

The North American wild turkey is leaner and much more colourful than its domesticated relative. It is the largest gallinaceous bird in North America. The head and neck are naked. The skin is coloured blue to purple. Individuals of both sexes have a wattle on the neck, which is, however, much more pronounced in the male. In addition, the turkey has thickened skin folds that turn deep red when excited. Another feature is a long outgrowth of skin over the beak, which in males elongates when excited and then hangs down over the tip of the beak. In females and juveniles, it looks like a small horn on the forehead. The plumage is predominantly dark green with a gold or copper sheen. The feathers on the neck, chest, and back are black edged. The males grow a strange tuft of feathers on their chests, which can reach the ground in old individuals. The legs are pinkish-purple-grey, with a small spur in the male.