Wild Turkeys of North America
Are there wild turkeys in your neighborhood? Wild Turkeys across the country and In Washington State.
Meleagris gallopavo, the sole wild turkey species in North America, has five distinct subspecies. The entire population of wild turkeys in North America is made up of these five subspecies. Their ranges range from enormous (as in the case of the eastern wild turkey) to incredibly localized (in the cases of the Osceola and Gould wild turkeys). Each subspecies is covered in detail in the sections below, along with details on its habitat, diet, and population size.
The Eastern Wild Turkey
The most common subspecies in North America is the eastern wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris), which has the highest population and the widest distribution of habitat. The population of the subspecies is thought to be greater than five million.
Early European colonists and generations of Americans have historically appreciated the eastern wild turkey as the “Thanksgiving turkey.” Naturalist Louis Jean Pierre Vieillot initially identified and named this subspecies in 1817, using the Latin word silvestris, which means “forest.”
Nearly the whole eastern half of the United States, from Maine and southeastern Canada in the north to northern Florida in the south and as far west as Michigan, is covered by the native range of the eastern wild turkey. It is the most persecuted of the five subspecies and favors mixed and hardwood forests.
Osceola Wild Turkey
The subspecies populations of the Osceola wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo osceola), sometimes referred to as the Florida wild turkey, are among the smallest on this list. It only exists on the Florida peninsula, and less than 110,000 people are thought to live there.
The Osceola is very similar in appearance to the eastern wild turkey, except that it is physically smaller and much darker in color. It also has white and black bars on its primary wing feathers, but unlike the eastern, the Osceola’s wing bars are small, much more erratic, and less uniform in size.
The Osceola subspecies have the smallest range of the five American wild turkeys. It only exists in Florida, which is why it is also sometimes called the Florida wild turkey.
Rio Grande Wild Turkey
The southern Great Plains states of Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and northeastern Mexico are where the Rio Grande wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo intermedia) is native to the central plains. Its number of birds is thought to range from 1 million to 1.3 million.
The tail feathers and rump coverts of this turkey are yellowish-buff or tan in color rather than the chocolate or medium brown of its relatives, and it is paler and more copper-colored than the eastern or Florida subspecies. Even though its general body size and height are comparable to the others, it also has larger legs.
The southern Great Plains states make up a portion of the Rio Grande’s main native range, as was previously indicated, but California has successfully carried out numerous significant subspecies transplantation attempts, and the state currently has a sizable Rio Grande population.
The Rio Grande subspecies is more migratory than its eastern relatives and frequently migrates up to 10 kilometers from its usual habitat to nesting places. It favors open scrub over forested regions (unlike its tree-loving cousins).
Merriam’s Wild Turkey
The Merriam’s Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo merriami) is mostly found in Wyoming, Montana, South Dakota, and other western mountainous areas with ponderosa pine forests, and also in the high mesa territory of New Mexico. An estimate of the population puts it between 325,000 and 350,000.
In addition to chokecherries, bearberries, ponderosa pine nuts, and cereals including corn, oats, and wheat, the Merriam consume a diverse range of foods. Additionally, it eats tiny arthropods including grasshoppers, spiders, and beetles. Other native plants to the locations a Merriam lives in may also be found in its diet.
The Merriam is one of the five wild turkey subspecies found in North America, and it is considered to be the newest (roughly speaking). Its natural habitat is a confined area that runs through the Rocky Mountains in Arizona, New Mexico, and Colorado. Since its discovery, it has spread far and is nowadays now found in Nebraska, Washington, California, Oregon, and other regions.
The Gould’s Wild Turkey
Explorer and naturalist John Gould originally identified and described Gould’s wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo mexicana) during his travels in Mexico in 1856. Gould’s wild turkey is the least studied and recognized of the five wild turkey subspecies in North America, and it also has the lowest estimated population, according to the National Wild Turkey Federation.
The National Wild Turkey Federation, the Arizona Game and Fish Department, the U.S. Forest Service, Centro Ecologico de Sonora, and other agencies are collaborating to reintroduce a robust Gould population, first into Arizona and subsequently into other states where suitable range exists.
The Gould wild turkey, which is frequently referred to as the largest of the five North American subspecies, is distinguished from the others listed here by having longer legs, larger feet, and larger center tail feathers. The characteristic white tips on its tail feathers and tail rump coverts, or the copper and greenish-golden reflections on its lower back and rump feathers, act as indicators of its species.
The Gould is considered a mountain bird, preferring higher elevations over the plains and scrubs favored by the Rio Grande wild turkey. Another range-limiting factor for the Gould is that the hens seek out nesting areas near bodies of water, like rivers, streams, and ponds.
Tulalip Tribe Wild Turkey Introduction
In 2010 the Tulalip tribe introduced a population of wild turkeys onto the reservation for tribal hunters. Saying, “Tribal hunters don’t have the same access to the nutritious protein that they once had,” said Ray Fryberg Sr., fish and wildlife director for the Tulalip Tribes. “Populations of deer and elk have declined and they’re running out of decent habitat.”
“We hope these turkeys will breed successfully and sustain a harvestable population that can feed our community,” Fryberg said. “Having wild turkeys right here on the reservation also could engage tribal youth who haven’t been exposed to our hunting culture.”
The Tulalip tribe is located in Washington state just north of Everett Washington, which is just north of Seattle.
Wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo), though native to some regions of North America, were first brought to Washington State in the early 20th century. One of North America’s most charming and distinctive bird species is the wild turkey. Turkeys are a highly prized game animal and have great cultural significance for outdoor enthusiasts and holiday gatherings. The state game bird of Alabama, Massachusetts, Oklahoma, and South Carolina is the turkey. The order Galliformes, which also includes chickens, grouse, and other large ground-feeding birds sometimes referred to as gallinaceous birds, includes the family Phasianidae, which contains wild turkeys. Turkeys can be seen in the majority of eastern Washington and the eastern Cascade Mountain foothills. Western Washington also has sporadic small populations.
