Merriam’s Wild Turkey
Sportman's Life Staff | Comments 0
The Merriam’s wild turkey lives in the western mountain states of the US. It’s primary areas of existence are the areas from Mexico up through Arizona to Colorado. It lives fairly isolated from the other wild turkey subspecies.
Merriam’s can be found in some areas that are threatening their numbers due to deforestation, human and urban development, and overgrazing by livestock. Male Merriam’s have white feathers on the bottom half of their back and edges to their tail feathers, a couple of traits that separate them greatly from the eastern, Rio Grand, and Floria subspecies. Merriam’s look a lot like a Gould’s turkey with the exception that the tips of its tail feathers are not as bright white and the light back patch is not as large.
In terms of size, it is very similar to the eastern turkey except it appears to be darker in overall appearance displaying lots of blues, purples, and bronze colorations in the light. The Merriam’s has a light colored patch on its hind end that is either white or light pink and has white tips to its tail feathers. The males have dark feathers covering their breast area while the females have lightly colored tips to their breast feathers. The wing feathers on a female have more white as well which is more noticeable when the wings are folded up next to the body.
Females to not have the brightly colored flesh that hangs off the face of a male, instead her head is covered with dark feathers from her neck to the top of her head. Males will grow spurs on the backs of their feet and a narrow beard from their chest. Females may grow a small beard or small, rounded spurs as well.
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