Wild Turkey

Name (Latin): Meleagris gallopavo

Size:

Males: L 46" WS 64" WT 7,400 g

Females: L 37" WS 50" WT 4,200 g

Description: large, heavy body, small hea, large legs, blackish, dark rufus feather tips

Song/Sounds:

Males: familar gobbling sound

Females: "iike, iike, iike..."

Habitat: open woodlands, forest roads, open fields

Seasons in Keene: year-round

Nest and Eggs: Clutch pf 4-17 eggs

Similar Species: Ring-necked Pheasant

Distribution: Most of the United States, except for some areas surrounding the Rockies

Population: Stable

Threats: Was extremely threatened by over-hunting, but through stocking programs in the eastern U.S. the turkey population is stable and increasing

Fun Facts: The turkey is only one of two domesticated animals that is an original native to the Americas.