Species Profile - The American Turkey

by Michael R. Olek

It was what I call the hour of gray, that in-between time in the forest just before dawn, yet just after nighttime’s darkness. I never could quite find the right words to describe how this "hour of gray" makes me feel. Shapes are somewhat discernible with a ghostly dreamlike quality. A sudden snap here, or a rustle of leaves there makes you question the nature of its source. Nocturnal creatures are getting ready to settle in and diurnal animals are beginning to stir awake. Crepuscular animals are out and about for sure. For some, it’s an eerie time full of uncertainty that can raise the hairs at the back of your neck. Others find this time to be exhilarating, awaking the senses, making one feel so very alive.

I was carefully making my way along an old logging road that wound for miles through an old forest of mixed hardwoods and thick pines. The chill of night had not yet dissipated, so patches of mist hovered over the ground where the previous day’s rain left large puddles of water. The smell of early autumn in this predawn woodland was evident. As a wildlife artist, I was on a mission to do some research for a painting. The mood of the setting often gives an inspiration to an artist that helps add feeling to the final artwork. As I slowly picked my way along, I began to imagine what it might be like to an early American Settler in this new wilderness.

Suddenly a dull sound came from behind a large downed tree. I stopped, trying to listen and stare in the direction of the sound. The shapes of the tangled tree limbs twisted within the low hanging branches of a large evergreen tree. For a moment my stomach felt uneasy with the feeling of being watched by something that I couldn’t see. I felt at a disadvantage. The mind plays terrible tricks when faced with the unknown. Even though I know that wild animals will avoid man and usually run, I couldn’t help but think, was it a bear? "So what," I said to myself, "It won't hurt me ... even if it is."

There’s still something very unsettling about not being able to see more than several yards ahead of you, and being all alone with something out there! I cautiously advanced along the trail when all of a sudden a loud crashing broke the stillness. My heart skipped and shot straight to my Shot of Messinger Woods throat. The sound of several large wings beat the air as a small flock of American Turkeys frantically fought their way through the thick forest, breaking branches in their wake. They rapidly disappeared behind the cloak of distant shadows.

As my heart returned to its normal rhythm, the remaining sounds were that of a Blue jay squawking in the distance. The American Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo ) was in abundance when the settlers first came to this new world. Benjamin Franklin even wanted the American Turkey to become our national symbol, but the Bald Eagle won that honor by one congressional vote. After facing many years of decline because of habitat loss, over hunting, and disease spread by domestic turkey, regulation brought the turkey back to its current abundance. Today, especially in our area of Western New York, the American Turkey is everywhere. This year I had four Turkeys to rehabilitate. Two out of the four made it to be released back into the wild.

Turkey are considered fairly smart birds. They are able to avoid predation for several reasons. The position of their eyes on their head gives them excellent vision allowing them to see almost 360 degrees around them. They can also see in color, and have very good hearing. They live in groups which afford them the ability of many eyes watching for danger at one time. At night, they roost in the safety of trees. Their plumage is thick, protective, and almost camouflaged under certain conditions. The young are very camouflaged and able to fly at a few weeks of age. Although these heavy bodied birds are able to fly, they do not fly far. They are able to run very fast. When danger approaches, they may choose to lean forward low to the ground and let their thick legs and wide feet carry them to safety as they scatter along the forest floor.

Turkey also communicate with each other with a variety of clucks, chirps, putts, gobbles, and yelps. I have heard that turkey are the second smartest bird of the forest, second only to crows. It is said that turkey were not as wary when the settlers first arrived. They apparently developed their elusiveness and distrust in man in time. In spring the males, or Toms, display their head and chest ornaments, rattle their feathers, fan their tails and strut to attract a female, or hen. Sometimes fights between dominant males occur. They beat each other with wings and their sharp leg spurs. The young males, sometimes called Jakes do not mate. Only the best males get to mate with the harem of hens to ensure that the best genetics are passed on. Hens will nest in a shallow ground depression scraped and lined with a few leaves. These are usually near old roads, fields or woodland clearings. Several hens may use the same nest. An average of 6 to 20 eggs are laid. The eggs are white to buff, can have brown markings and are about 2.5 inches. The precocial young hatch around the 28^th day. For the first four weeks the hen will brood the young under her wings and tail.

Soon after hatching, chicks follow their mother and peck at the ground for food. When the young are about four weeks old, families gather in larger communal flocks.

Like chickens, turkeys scratch the ground in search of seeds, nuts, and grasses. Grasshoppers and small reptiles make up a large part of their needed protein. It is easy to determine which direction a feeding flock is traveling by evaluating the ground scratches. They scratch out and back from the body with both legs, creating a ground scrape that resembles an arrow head. Among their favorite foods, beech nuts and acorns rank high.

There are many more interesting facts about turkey worthy of researching on your own. Now it’s up to you to trot to your nearest source of research and scratch below the surface.

This species profile is copyrighted and may only be reprinted with the express permission of Messinger Woods Wildlife Care & Education Center, Inc.