Overview

The wild turkey is a native North American bird far removed from its domesticated cousins at the Thanksgiving table. Males display fan-shaped tails, wattled heads that flush red and blue, and a deep gobble that carries through hardwood forest at dawn.

Despite their bulk, wild turkeys roost high in trees each night and can burst into flight at speeds approaching 90 km/h over short distances. Flocks scratch through leaf litter for acorns, seeds, and insects, moving quietly until a sharp alarm puts every bird airborne at once.

Habitat

Mixed hardwood forest beside open fields and farmland suits wild turkeys best — they need trees for roosting and clearings for feeding and display. Populations have rebounded across the eastern and central US after decades of reintroduction.

Countries found

Wild Turkey in United States

Interesting facts

01
Wild turkeys can fly at 90 km/h for short bursts — despite their size.
02
Benjamin Franklin famously admired the turkey over the bald eagle as a national symbol.
03
Each male's gobble is unique enough that hens can recognise individual callers.

Conservation status

LC — Least Concern

Wild turkeys are Least Concern after one of conservation's great success stories — reintroduction programmes restored them to nearly their entire historic US range.