Wild Turkey Research Paper

Common Name: Wild Turkey

Scientific Name: Meleagris gallopavo

Introduction to the Species:
• An adult male turkey is called a tom or gobbler, and a young male is called a jake. The adult female is called a hen, and a young female is called a jenny. A baby turkey is called a poult or chick.
• Wild Turkeys have great sight and hearing abilities and run very fast.
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• The WIild Turkey is known for its size and sound. The male Turkey can stand 5 feet tall. The males are also called gobblers because of their signature call. They use this call to attract their mates, and if you are the gobblerest of all gobbles, you would attract the most females. You can find Wild Turkeys all over the United States, but are mostly found throughout the east
They do not have the wattles and breast tufts. They have gray or brown feathers. o On average weigh between 8 to 10 pounds.

Geographic Range:
• Wild Turkeys have been seen throughout the whole east coast of America, throughout the plains, and a few places on the west coast.

Ecological Role:
• Wild Turkeys place in nature is similar as its place in their food web. They eat insects, small animals and plants which control overpopulation. They are also a prey to other animals which also controls overpopulation of turkeys.

Where the species fits on the food chain:
• What they eat: o Plants are 90% of a wild turkeys diet. Their plant diet consists of soybeans, corn, wheat, oats, ryegrass, and clovers. They are also know to eat insects, snails, and salamanders.
• What eats them: o Birds  Owls
 Hawks
 Eagles
 Crows
 Ravens o Reptiles 
The males use their art of gobbling to attract a female, or several. Only the dominate gobblers do the majority of the mating.
• Turkeys nest in old fields, pine forests, and stream edges that hide in a bushy covered area.
• The hens lay one egg a day and on average lay 9 – 11 eggs. It takes 6 weeks for an egg to hatch once it has been laid. The mortality rate for the eggs are 70% and higher.

Phylogenetic Tree: • Kingdom: Animalia
• Phylum: Chordata
• Class: Aves
• Order: Galliformes
• Family: Phasiandae
• Genus: Meleagris

Any other interesting life history facts:
• An adult male turkey is called a tom or gobbler, and a young male is called a jake. The adult female is called a hen, and a young female is called a jenny. A baby turkey is called a poult or chick.
• A male turkey can stand 5 feet tall.
• The bird is actually named after the country.
• The birds head can change colors with its emotions, from red to pink, white, or blue.
• Wild Turkeys are fast and can run up to 25 miles per