_Meleagris gallopavo silvestris_
The Wild Turkey was formerly found as far north as
Maine and Ontario but it is unknown now north of
central Pennsylvania. South of Maryland it is not
uncommon locally.
_Range._ Kansas and central Pennsylvania to the
Gulf coast, and northern Florida. Non-migratory.
Washington, rare P.R.
Our domestic Turkey is descended from the Mexican Wild Turkey and like
that race has the upper tail-coverts and tail tipped with whitish,
whereas in our eastern Wild Turkey these tips are chestnut. The nest is
on the ground and 10-14 eggs, pale cream-color finely speckled with
brownish, are laid in April.
The Florida Wild Turkey (_M. g. osceola_), of southern Florida, is
smaller and the white bars on the primaries are narrower and more
broken.