Wild Turkey

Photos by BarrytheBirder

Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo)

Wild Turkeys and very large and unmistakable.   They are the largest North American game bird and ancestral stock of the barnyard turkey.   They are huge, with long legs, neck and tail.  They were once widespread, but were reduced by clearing of woodlands.   With management and reintroduction, they are now increasing in many areas.   They favour woodlands and edges.  In recent years I have seen flocks with as many as 150 birds here in southern Ontario, in Canada.   They feed mostly on the ground, primarily on seeds and nuts.    They are sociable and roost in trees.

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BarrytheBirder