WILD TURKEY

CHARACTERISTICS: In this species, the males weigh between 8 and 10 kg and the females between 4 and 5 kg, of course these are wild turkeys, domestic ones can be even bigger.
DIET: For the first few days they only eat insects and have a voracious appetite. Then they begin to eat grass, grain and other vegetable substances.
REPRODUCTION: They breed once a year, although it is possible for females to achieve two clutches in one same season. The clutch consists of between 8 and 15 eggs. Incubation takes 26 to 29 days. The squabs fend for themselves and are not fed by the mother. Although they still need the protection of the mother to survive.
CURIOSITIES: The male attracts the female with a “song”. Once they are within sight of each other, the male lifts up the feathers on his body giving the impression that he is inflating. He lets the feathers drop down until they touch the floor and opens up his tail in the shape of a fan. It is estimated that with the arrival of the Europeans there would have been some 40 million wild specimens, now there are just 4 million. It has been a domestic bird, much appreciated in large celebrations, becoming a signature dish in American cuisine