The turkey (Meleagris) is a genus of large grouse game birds forming the subfamily Meleagrididae, of the pheasant family, Phasianidae. Turkeys formerly lived in woodland in North and Central America but today as a result of excessive hunting, their natural ranges are much reduced. They are powerfully built birds with dark greenish-grey feathers edged with black. The male (known as a tom or gobbler) of the common or North American turkey, Meleagris gallopavo, has a large protuberance on its neck, grows to 1.25 m, and has been extensively domesticated, with many breeds produced.
The ocellated turkey, Meleagris ocellata, is found in the tropical lowlands of the Yutacan Peninsular of Mexico, and in adjacent parts of Guatemala and British Honduras. It is a colourful bird with iridescent green, gold and reddish-copper bronzing over its wings and back with a purplish-blue ocellus in the tips of the grey and black pencilled main tail feathers and tail coverts.
The turkey was probably introduced directly to Spain by the Spanish, around 1520 soon after Columbus discovered America, and from there they spread through Europe reaching England in 1541, where being assumed to have originated in the country Turkey was named accordingly. The turkey, like the chicken, is remarkable in that hens can lay fertilized eggs without being fertilized by a male. Unlike chickens, however, turkey virgin births always result in a male offspring. Research Turkey
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Nature
Research Turkey