18: PARASITISM AND DISEASE AMONG SOUTHEASTERN WILD TURKEYS*

ABSTRACT During the 6 years from 1964 to 1970 nearly 400 eastern wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris) were examined for parasites and diseases. Adult and immature turkeys from Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi, and West Virginia have been studied on an annual or semi‐annual basis for 3 consecu...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Annie K. Prestwood, Forest E. Kellogg, Gary L. Doster
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 1973-01-01
Series:Wildlife Society Bulletin
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/j.2328-5540.1973.tb00050.x
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Summary:ABSTRACT During the 6 years from 1964 to 1970 nearly 400 eastern wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris) were examined for parasites and diseases. Adult and immature turkeys from Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi, and West Virginia have been studied on an annual or semi‐annual basis for 3 consecutive years, and additional information has been obtained from turkeys dying of natural causes. Southeastern turkeys harbor at least 60 different parasites including 9 protozoans, 11 trematodes, 10 cestodes, 1 acanthocephalan, 17 nematodes, and 12 arthropods. Parasitism may vary with age of the host, area of collection, and density of the host population. Significant diseases that were encountered among southeastern wild turkeys include blackhead, coli‐granuloma, and fowl pox. Population implications are discussed, and a partially annotated bibliography of parasites of wild turkeys is presented.
ISSN:2328-5540