FOOD HABITS OF WILD TURKEY POULTS IN MISSISSIPPI
Abstract Eastern wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris) poults, age 3‐38 days, fed on a variety of habitats, but mostly along the edges of hayfields, pastures, or roadsides and in various forest types. The ratio of animal to plant food was 79:21 for poults in the 3‐to‐7‐day age class, 54:46 in...
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| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wiley
1975-01-01
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| Series: | Wildlife Society Bulletin |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/j.2328-5540.1975.tb00093.x |
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| Summary: | Abstract Eastern wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris) poults, age 3‐38 days, fed on a variety of habitats, but mostly along the edges of hayfields, pastures, or roadsides and in various forest types. The ratio of animal to plant food was 79:21 for poults in the 3‐to‐7‐day age class, 54:46 in age class 8 to 14 days; 37:63 in age class 15 to 21 days; and 13:87 for poults 22 to 38 days old. Insects such as beetles, true bugs, and grasshoppers accounted for 83 percent of the total animal food, followed by snails, spiders, and pill bugs. Seeds from Carex spp. and Rubus spp. were the most important plant food items. Of lesser importance were seeds from Scleria spp., Vicia spp., miscellaneous grasses, and forbs. |
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| ISSN: | 2328-5540 |