State game bird of alabama

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State Tree. State Tree Fruit. State Wildflower. Official State Game Bird of Alabama Alabama designated the eastern wild turkey as the official state game bird in the official state bird is the Northern flicker, adopted in The turkey is also the state bird of Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Massachusetts. The eastern wild turkey is the largest of the wild turkeys, as well as the largest game bird in North America, and Alabama is among the states with the largest per-acre population of eastern wild turkeys in the country.

Both male and female turkeys can grow up to 4 feet tall, but males are slightly heavier. In the early s, habitat destruction and commercial harvesting decimated the population of the eastern wild turkey, but intervention by wildlife and conservation organizations have resulted in a dramatic recovery.

In fact, about 6. In addition to conservation and protection efforts, the turkey's recovery is also attributed to the bird's resilient, prolific, and unique nature. The call of the male Wild Turkey also called a gobble can be heard a 1.

The Wild Turkey is polygamous, therefore one male will attempt to mate with several females. Eggs are laid two to three weeks after copulation.

The hen usually nests on the ground in a depression, and the nest is usually surrounded by dense brush, vines, tangles, deep grass, or fallen tree tops. The nest contains eggs. The incubation period is 28 days. By day the wild turkey can be seen grazing in fields and woodlands. At night the wild turkey roosts in trees. The Wild Turkey is a very wary bird with keen eyesight and hearing. In spite of its large size and rather awkward appearance, the wild turkey is a powerful flier, reaching speeds of up to 55 mph over short distances.

Turkeys will most often fly hard and fast up through the treetops, then set their wings and glide back to the ground. In the fall, the wild turkey flock with several males accompanying several females. There is no calling unless the flock gets broken up and there are no displays similar to those seen in the spring.

The main objective is to gather enough fat reserves for the winter. Habitats preferred by Wild Turkeys include mixed coniferous and deciduous forests.

Wild Turkeys are omnivorous and eats different foods. Grass and grain makes up most of its diet. They also eat insects, berries and small reptiles. A wild turkey typically lives years. They live longer too sometimes. The oldest known wild turkey lived to be 13 years old. Turkeys range from pounds in the wild. It is the primary means for a tom to connect with his females.

Adult male turkeys are called toms and females are called hens. Very young birds are poults, while juvenile males are jakes and juvenile females are jennies. A group of turkeys is called a flock or a rafter. The heads can be red, pink, white or blue. The snood can also change color, size and shape. Wild turkeys see in color and have brilliant vision at daytime.

It covers almost degrees. They have poor vision at night butthey can become more cautious as it grows darker.