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Project Noah Nature School
Meleagris gallopavo
Turkey chicks that we walked up on at night. The mother flew off as we approached the little family, scaring the crap out of us. Instantly we heard peeping and looked down to discover 12 chicks.
Wild turkeys prefer hardwood and mixed conifer-hardwood forests with scattered openings such as pastures, fields, orchards and seasonal marshes.
The chicks are precocial, and are able walk and feed themselves within 24 hours of hatching. *Precocial animals are relatively mature and mobile from the moment of birth or hatching. Altricial animals are born helpless and very dependent on the parent(s).
Spotted on Jun 1, 2012
Submitted on Jun 17, 2012
7 Comments
Nice!
Thank y'all :) Adam, I was afraid she was going to get aggressive at first. She didn't fly away instantly, but just a few feet from us. When we shined the light on her she was facing us with wings spread... she looked huge, and very mad. I hated upsetting her but we were walking with moonlight and just didn't see her. We did go back later that night to make sure she had come back and that none of the hatchlings had been taken by predators.
Lovely!
wow...great spotting. I've never seen wild turkey chicks. good thing the mother flew off rather than get agressive!
Very nice !
very sweet!
Adorable! I think precocial is a great word, and maybe you should define it and altricial for others on the site,