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More About Turkeys ...
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A turkey is either of two species of large birds in the gamebird family with fan-shaped tails and wattled necks. As with many galliform species, the female is smaller than the male, and less colourful. With their wingspans of 1.5-1.8 metres, the turkeys are by far the largest birds in the open forests in which they live, and are rarely mistaken for any other birds.
The species are the North American Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) and the Central American Ocellated Turkey (Meleagris ocellata).
They are commonly domesticated and used for poultry. The modern domesticated turkey was developed from the Wild Turkey. The Ocellated Turkey was probably also domesticated by the Mayans. It has been speculated that this species is more tractable than its northern counterpart, and was the source of the present domesticated stock, but there is no morphological evidence to support this theory. In particular, the chest tuft of domestic turkeys is a clear indicator of descent from the Wild Turkey (the Ocellated Turkey does not have this tuft).
When Europeans first encountered the turkey in the Americas, they incorrectly identified it with the African Helmeted Guineafowl (Numida meleagris), also known as the turkey-cock from its importation to Europe through Turkey, and the name stuck. It remains also in the scientific name: meleagris is Greek for guinea-fowl.
Turkey hunting is a popular sport in North America. Although often deemed foolish and easily confused, the turkey is a game animal of considerable cunning.
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Source: Wikipedia Read more about Turkeys
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INFO LINKS
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Turkey
Animal Tracks of Humboldt County
Natural History of Wild Turkey, Identifying Wild Turkey tracks. Read More
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Wild Turkey
Gough, G.A., Sauer, J.R., Iliff, M. Patuxent Bird Identification Infocenter. 1998. Version 97.1. Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Laurel, MD
USGS data sheet on Wild Turkey, including photographs, maps, taxonomy, identification tips, and life history information. Read More
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Turkey
Honolulu Zoo
General Information on habitat, behavior, reproduction and growth, diet, etc. Read More
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Wild Turkey
eNature.com
Pictures, Sounds, and information about Wild Turkey Read More
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Turkey
Bird Families of the World - Dan Roberson
"There are only two species of Turkeys extant in the world today; the Wild Turkey (left) of North America, and the Ocellated Turkey Meleagris ocellata of the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico." Details about the Meleagrididae family including pictures and good pr Read More
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Wild Turkey
National Geographic
Wild Turkey fact sheet and pictures; video clip; audio clip Read More
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Wild Turkey
Colorado Fourteeners
Images Read More
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Wild Turkey
The Longpoint schoolhouse
Nice photos and brief narrative Read More
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Brush Turkey
Sedgwick County Zoo
These turkeys are "black to brownish-black with red facial skin and yellow necks".
Information on Diet, behavior, etc. Read More
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Wild Turkey
Bird Friends Of Lake Murray And San Diego County
Wild Turkey pictures, description, and more Read More
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Wild Turkey
Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Extensive species account including range map, call details, 'cool facts', etc. Read More
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Turkey
Feather Site - Barry Koffler
Brief Information Read More
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Narragansett Turkey
Sedgwick County Zoo
"Distinguishing pencil-markings make them stand out from other varieties" Read More
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Turkey
Desert USA
Turkey: Brief description and pictures Read More
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Domestic Turkey
FeatherSite
Pictures and brief descriptions of various breeds of turkeys Read More
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Turkey
web.edunet4u.net/~nature/ (Korean)
Brief description and picture Read More
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Ocellated Turkey
Houston Zoo
About Ocellated Turkey Read More
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Rio Grande Wild Turkey
Houston Zoo
About Rio Grande Wild Turkey Read More
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