Are wild turkeys native to Colorado?
One area the gobbling birds have called home for generations is right in the beautiful state that is colorful Colorado.
DENVER (KDVR) — Americans have a special connection to turkeys given one of the most celebrated American holidays has become centered around them. However, by the time most people come into contact with turkeys, they are featherless and have just spent a few hours in the oven.
Usually, those turkeys have lived a wild life before Thanksgiving.
It can seem like something is misplaced when turkeys are spotted in the wild. They are quite striking-looking birds and don't seem like they would possess the skills to make the cut in nature but turkeys have been successfully roaming the Americas for millions of years.
One area the gobbling birds have called home for generations is right in the beautiful state that is colorful Colorado.
Many different types of turkeys have at some point traversed Colorado but in modern times, there are two species that make up the demographic of the famed bird in the state, according to Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
One turkey is native to Colorado and the other was introduced in the 1980s to help repopulate after turkeys reached a low total population of around 35,000.
Merriam's turkey
The native of the two birds, Merriam's turkey can be found in the high-elevation foothills of western Colorado. They will travel up to 40 miles between two habitats depending on the season.
Male Merriam's turkeys have white feathers on their back and near their rump and are covered in black feathers with hints of purple, blue and bronze. They also have black-tipped breast feathers. Females have buff-tipped breast feathers and have a whiter appearance.
Rio Grande turkey
The new kid on the block, the Rio Grande turkey has made parts of Colorado its new home. This turkey finds itself on the opposite side of the state from the Merriam, primarily residing in the eastern plains.
Rio Grande turkeys are slightly lighter than the Merriam and produce a pinkish hue on their buff. Male and female Rio Grande turkeys look very similar but the female is not as bright as the male counterpart.
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