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Henry Sowell

Vol. I · Est. 2026

Pl. CXXXVI
Field-journal plate: Wild Turkey
The Wild Turkey plate as rendered on the e-ink frame
As rendered on the frame

The Birds · Plate CXXXVI

Wild Turkey

Meleagris gallopavo

Phasianidae · Taxon 906

Length110–115 cm
Wingspan125–144 cm
Weight2.5–10.8 kg

Field marks

  1. Very large, heavy-bodied bird with a long neck, long pinkish-gray legs, and a small head
  2. Dark brown plumage with bronze-green iridescence and fine pale barring
  3. Bare blue-gray head, dark eye, and short pale horn-colored bill
  4. Adult male shows red throat wattles and often a dark breast beard
  5. Dark, rounded wings boldly barred with white
  6. Broad, rounded tail tipped rusty brown or whitish and fanned by displaying males

HabitatMature hardwood and mixed conifer-hardwood forests interspersed with clearings, fields, grassland edges, orchards, and seasonal marshes.

BehaviorSocial, diurnal ground forager; walks or runs in flocks while scratching for nuts, seeds, berries, insects, and other small prey. Flies short distances to tree roosts at night. Displaying males strut, lower their wings, fan their tails, and gobble.

Palette

dark brownbronze greenslate bluewattle redcreamy white