Wild Turkey
Wild Turkey
Adult male (Eastern)
- Very large, plump game-bird
- Male unmistakeable in display with tail fanned and body "inflated"
- Iridescence and patterning on wings, bright blue and pink skin on head and neck
- Eastern birds show rufous tips on tail feathers
- © Jim Mcree, ME, Glenburn, April 2012
Wild Turkey
Adult male (Eastern)
- Very large and stocky with bare head and neck
- Males show bristly "beard" extending off of chest
- Mostly dark with bronzy iridescence on wings
- Slender, curving neck and long, stocky legs
- © Jay Paredes, FL, Jupiter, May 2010
Wild Turkey
Adult female (Eastern)
- Very large, plump game-bird with long, slender neck
- Mostly dark brown with rufous edges on body feathers
- Long, stocky legs
- Short bill
- © osprey41, FL, Land o' Lakes, May 2008
Wild Turkey
Adult males (Southwestern)
- Very large and plump game-birds
- Displaying male appears even larger
- Bare head and neck with pink and blue skin
- Bristly "beard" extends off of chest of males
- © Reddirtpics, OK, Norman, September 2011
Wild Turkey
Adult male (Southwestern)
- Very large, plump game-bird
- Mostly dark brown with iridescence and patterning on wings
- Southwestern/Mexican birds show white tips on rump and tail feathers
- Males show bristly "beard" on chest
- © Lois Manowitz, AZ, Madera Canyon, March 2012
Wild Turkey
Adult female (Eastern) with juvenile
- Very large, stocky game-bird
- Mostly dark brown with paler patterning on wings
- Bare head and neck
- Juvenile plump like adult, mostly dark brown with paler head
- © Christopher L. Wood
Wild Turkey
Juveniles
- Chicks plump and stocky like adults
- Mostly dark brown with faint rufous barring
- Paler head
- Large feet
- © Christopher L. Wood, September 2004
Wild Turkey
Adult male (Southwestern)
- Familiar large game-bird
- Plump and stocky overall with iridescent and heavily patterned plumage
- Southwestern/Mexican birds show pale whitish tips on tail and rump feathers
- Breeding males show bright blue facial skin and red wattle
- © Carlos Escamilla, TX, Laredo, March 2010
Similar Species
Adult male
- Much smaller and more compact than Wild Turkey
- Shorter tail
- Dark blue/gray overall
- Fully feathered head and neck with breeding male showing bright yellow "eyebrows"
- © birdsandwater, Signal Mountain, WY, June 2010
Adult female
- Much smaller and more compact than Wild Turkey
- Fully-feathered head and neck
- Mostly dark blue/gray overall with pale mottling
- Short tail
- © Malcolm Gold, Paradise, WA, June 2010
Adult
- Much smaller than Wild Turkey
- Feathered head with obvious crest
- Pale breast with dark mottling
- © Greg Schneider, Algonquin Provincial Park, ON, October 2010
Adult male
- Smaller and more compact than Wild Turkey
- Bright white breast
- Unique, spiky tail feathers
- Fully-feathered head and neck
- © Bryant Olsen, UT, April 2010