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Meleagris gallopavo ssp. silvestris
Eastern Wild Turkey
Florida native
Eastern wild turkeys are found in the panhandle and across northern counties from the big bend to northeast Florida. They range throughout eastern North America to just west of the Mississippi River and north into Ontario and Quebec.
There are five subspecies of wild turkeys in the United States, one of which is also found in Mexico, along with two other subspecies. The two Florida subspecies are Meleagris gallopavo silvestris and M. gallopavo osceola - Florida or Osceola wild turkey.
Wild turkeys can often be found foraging in large flocks through open woods and clearings. they are a large dark bird with a narrow neck and small head. The tailfeathers on eastern and Osceola wild turkeys are rufus tipped. The other North American populations have white-tipped tailfeathers.
Meleagris gallopavo is a member of the Phasianidae - Pheasants and their allies family.
Other species of the Meleagris genus in the Wild Florida Photo database:
Meleagris gallopavo var. osceola - OSCEOLA WILD TURKEY
iNaturalist profile for this species
For more information on this species, visit the following link:
Cornell Lab of Ornithology All About Birds page for this species
Date record last modified: Jun 09, 2025
