South Pacific Wild Turkey | Online Record Book Preview

Meleagris gallopavo

Turquie (French)

DESCRIPTION Turkeys at different locations thoughout the South Pacific have varying characteristics. Those found on Flinders Island are similar to Bronze domestics, except for being slimmer in the body. In New Zealand, birds appear to have originated from Mexico domestics and in New Caledonia, birds appear to be Rio Grande or hybrid decendants. Males are considerable larger than females with adult males sometimes exceeding 20 pounds while hens average 8 to 12 pounds. Adult males have spurs and beards while hens do not have beards or spurs, except on rare occasions. Both sexes have few feathers on the head and upper neck and have generally pinkish-red feet and legs. Males are more brightly colored than the females.

DISTRIBUTION Turkeys were established on Flinders Island of the Fernaux Group in Bass Strait between Australia and Tasmania in the early 1800s. Turkeys now maintain very high densities on this 1,000-square-kilometer island. In New Zealand, feral turkeys were common around Hawkes Bay on the North Island in 1892 and has moved inland by 1922. In the absence of predators of consequence, they have becomes locally abundant on both the North Island and South Island. (Falla et al, 1967) The first record of turkeys existing on New Caledonia was from Speegle (1984), who reported shooting turkeys there in 1984. A report from B. Penfold indicated turkeys occupy nearly all the island.