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Turkey (bird)

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Birds

                  iTurkey
   Wild Turkey, Meleagris gallopavo
   Wild Turkey, Meleagris gallopavo
         Scientific classification

   Kingdom:   Animalia
   Phylum:    Chordata
   Class:     Aves
   Order:     Galliformes
   Family:    Phasianidae
   Subfamily: Meleagridinae
              Gray, 1840
   Genus:     Meleagris
              Linnaeus, 1758

                                   Species

   M. gallopavo
   M. ocellata

   A turkey is either one of two species of large birds in the genus
   Meleagris. Turkeys are classed in the gamebird order. Formerly, they
   were considered a distinct family, Meleagrididae, but more recently
   they were reclassified as a subfamily (Meleagridinae) of the pheasants
   and their allies. As with many galliform species, the female is smaller
   than the male, and much less colourful. With their wingspans of 1.5-1.8
   meters, the turkeys are by far the largest birds in the open forests in
   which they live, and are rarely mistaken for any other species.

   The two species are the North American Wild Turkey (M. gallopavo) and
   the Central American Ocellated Turkey (M. ocellata).

   The modern domesticated turkey was developed from the Wild Turkey. The
   Ocellated Turkey was probably also domesticated by the Mayans. It has
   been speculated that this species is more tractable than its northern
   counterpart, and was the source of the present domesticated stock, but
   there is no morphological evidence to support this theory. In
   particular, the chest tuft of domestic turkeys is a clear indicator of
   descent from the Wild Turkey, as the Ocellated Turkey does not have
   this tuft.

   Turkeys are widely hunted, particularly the Wild Turkey in North
   America. Unlike their domestic counterparts, the turkeys are wary and
   agile flyers.

Naming

   When Europeans first encountered these species in the Americas, they
   incorrectly identified them with the African Helmeted Guineafowl
   (Numida meleagris), also known as the turkey-cock from its importation
   to Central Europe through Turkey, and the name of that country stuck as
   also the name of the American bird. The confusion is also reflected in
   the scientific name: meleagris is Greek for guinea-fowl.
   Wild Turkeys may occasionally be found in urban areas.
   Enlarge
   Wild Turkeys may occasionally be found in urban areas.

   The names for the domesticated Turkey in other languages also
   frequently reflect its exotic origins, seen from an Old World
   viewpoint, and confusion about where it actually comes from. The many
   references to India seen in common names go back to a combination of
   two factors: first, the genuine belief that the newly-discovered
   Americas were in fact a part of East Asia, and second, the tendency to
   attribute exotic produce to some particular place that at that time
   symbolized far-off, exotic lands. The latter is reflected in terms like
   " Muscovy Duck" (which is from South America, not Muscovy) and indeed
   was a major reason why the name "turkey-cock" was transferred to
   Meleagris species.

   For names in other languages for the Wild Turkey, see list of names for
   the Wild Turkey.

   Several other birds which are sometimes called "turkeys" are not
   particularly closely related: the Australian brush-turkey is a
   megapode, and the bird sometimes known as the "Australian turkey" is in
   fact the Australian Bustard, a gruiform.
   Wild turkey track, Georgetown, South Carolina
   Enlarge
   Wild turkey track, Georgetown, South Carolina

Asexual reproduction

   Turkeys are notable for their ability, rare amongst higher species, to
   reproduce asexually. In the absence of a male, female Turkeys are known
   to produce fertile eggs. The individual produced is often sickly, and
   nearly always male. This behaviour can interfere with the incubation of
   eggs in Turkey farming.

Fossil turkeys

   Many turkeys have been described from fossils. The Meleagridinae are
   known from the Early Miocene (c.23 mya) onwards, with the extinct
   genera Rhegminornis (Early Miocene of Bell, USA) and Proagriocharis
   (Kimball Late Miocene/Early Pliocene of Lime Creek, USA). The former is
   probably a basal turkey, the other a more modern bird not very similar
   to known turkeys; both were much smaller birds. A turkey fossil not
   assignable to genus but similar to Meleagris is known from the Late
   Miocene of Westmoreland County, Virginia (Olson, 1985).
   Wild Turkey
   Enlarge
   Wild Turkey

   In the modern genus Meleagris, a considerable number of species have
   been decribed, as turkey fossils are robust, fairly often found, and
   turkes show much variation among individuals. Many of these supposed
   fossil species are now considered junior synonyms. One, the
   well-documented California Turkey Meleagris californica, became extinct
   recently enough to have been hunted by early human settlers, though its
   actual demise is more probably attributable to climate change at the
   end of the last ice age. The modern species and the California Turkey
   seem to have diverged approximately one million years ago (Olson,
   1985).

   Turkeys known only from fossils:
     * Meleagris sp. (Early Pliocene of Bone Valley, USA)
     * Meleagris leopoldi (Late Pliocene of Cita Canyon, USA) - formerly
       Agriocharis
     * Meleagris progenes (Rexroad Late Pliocene, Meade County, USA) -
       formerly Agriocharis
     * Meleagris sp. (Late Pliocene of Macasphalt Shell Pit, USA)
     * Meleagris anza (Early Pleistocene of San Diego County, USA)
     * Meleagris californica (Late Pleistocene of SW USA) - formerly
       Parapavo/Pavo
     * Meleagris crassipes (Late Pleistocene of SW North America)

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