Turkey Breed: Truth about Domestic Turkey

The Turkey breed is the consequence of many constant processes that were made through artificial choices made by many people. These birds were domesticated more than 2 millennia ago by indigenous populations that belonged to central Mexico. Its main use was to obtain proteins that meat and eggs could contribute to the human body.

In addition to using their feathers as an ornament to their costumes. While the ancient Aztecs related this bird to the God called Tezcatlipoca. After many centuries, when arriving in 1498, after the conquering visits by the Spaniards. They returned to Europe with many domesticated turkeys which they called Gallinas de Indias.

Turkey Breeds

In 1521 this species came to England directly from Turkey and that is why the species is called the turkey in English. At the end of the 20th century, something that showed many luxuries and lineage was having a Christmas dinner accompanied by a turkey as the main dish. But this could only be paid for by people with a lot of money. You May Also Like To Read Dorking Chicken.

Characteristics of Turkey Breed

The turkey breed has a great sexual dimorphism when compared to the female of this species if we speak of the male we can say that it can weigh between 8 to 40 kg. They have a reddish dewlap that is located at its peak and connects with the bottom of it. In some cases it can reach about 10 cm; instead, the female can weigh between 4 to 25 kg with a smaller dewlap.

Compared to what the male has which is known as mucus. The male turkey can reach 1 meter high and the wingspan is 2 m. The turkey, in general, does not have feathers on its head anymore since the neck is completely filled with feathers, in large numbers.

The turkey of the farm has the plumage totally white although it is very common to see them with plumages of different tonalities. The plumage can include colors such as black, metallic green, brown, bronze and even cream color which will depend directly on the subspecies to which it belongs.

Common Turkey Breed

Turkey with dark plumage, but occasionally with a coppery reflection. The head of the turkeys presents carnosities called caruncles. The males have a bare, reddish throat. The males of this species have a long tail in the form of a fan and their wings are striking gray. Also, the guans are much more muted colors than the males. The wild common turkey lives in North America and likes forests, mixed or deciduous, where there are clearings of meadows, pastures or orchards.

Ocellated Turkey Breed

Male and female share the same plumage, bronze, and metallic green. Both sexes also have a blue head with reddish or orange warts, more protruding in males. Unlike other turkeys, it does not have barbels. It has a bluish-gray fan-shaped tail, with a blue-gray circle in the shape of an eye. You May Also Like To Read New Hampshire Chicken

Common Peacock

Bird of considerable size, although the males of this species are somewhat larger than the females. For this reason, the common peacock is the species within its larger family that reaches a higher weight. The male has a metallic blue crown on his head.

It also has a naked stripe of whitish feathers under the eye and another smaller stripe covering the eye at the top. The male has bright blue plumage and its tail is formed by hundreds of long feathers adorn with an ocellus. This majestic bird lives wild in India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. Can also live in savannas, meadows.

Peacock Green Collar

This peacock resembles the common peacock, but instead of having a metallic blue crown on its head, it has a spiky crest. Both sexes are very similar in size. But only the males have a long tail formed by feathers adorned with dark blue and copper ocelli.

The female, on the other hand, is less showy in color. The green-necked peacock is native to Southeast Asia. Also, the green-neck peafowl can be seen in a variety of habitats. Ranging from savannas, meadows, and bushes, the truth is that has a tendency to inhabit tropical and subtropical forests. You May Also Like To Read Dominique Chicken.

Peacock of Congo

It is the less showy peacock species, even though the males have blue, green and violet metallic stripes very attractive in their plumage. Like other species of turkeys, the peacock neck of the Congo has no feathers and adopts a reddish tone due to the natural color of its skin.

The females are slightly smaller than the males. This species is endemic to the Congo, in equatorial Africa, hence its popular name and can be found in the tropical forests of the lowlands.

FAQ

Conclusion

We hope that you found this guide useful and informative. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us at your earliest convenience. You can also check out the other resources on our blog for more information about turkeys!

As A Reference: Wikipedia

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top