Turkey species

[Life of Riley]

After reading about the different types of turkeys and how they hybridize, is there any sure way to tell what strain of turkey you see, or are most of them mixed breeds now?

[Marc]

Geographical location in combination with the typical physical characteristics of a given sub-species...

In some areas of the country, with multiple sub-species being common, outside of genetic testing, it would be impossible to know the percentages of hybridization or to confirm the purity of sub-species of any particular bird.

[GobbleNut]

Good points, Marc. 

Fundamentally, the only way to maintain genetic purity within the five subspecies (not species) of wild turkeys we commonly recognize in North America is by geographic isolation of one subspecies from another.  Anyplace the subspecies overlap there will be hybridization,...and that hybridization will increase over time, ultimately resulting in the overall population of birds in a given location being hybrids.

That is occurring in a number of places in the U.S. now because of the transplantation of the various subspecies into habitats that have no geographic barriers to prevent subspecies overlap.  In areas where subspecies overlap is relatively recent, you will see birds with physical characteristics of both subspecies in a wide spectrum.  Individual birds can look very much like they are genetically pure,...and indeed, in those recently overlapped populations, they could be.  That would be entirely the result of random breeding of gobblers and hens of the same subspecies,...even when the next pair of birds might be the other subspecies, or hybrids.  Over time, however, those random breedings of males/females is going to lean more towards hybridized populations with various mixtures of genetics from both subspecies ( or in cases where there are more than two subspecies,...mixtures from all of them). 

There are still lots of places where genetically pure subspecies exist, although they are slowly shrinking in size and numbers over time.  For those that are concerned about such things, the ultimate hybridization of all but the most isolated of subspecies is not going to occur any time soon,...at least not in any of our lifetimes. 

[Tail Feathers]

Maybe it's because I have a slam, but I don't care if they are hybrids or not, I just want to hunt 'em!

[guesswho]

If you stand up and they run they are probably an Osceola.  If they run faster their probably an Eastern.  If they just stand there they are probably a Rio.  And if they walk up to you they are probably a Merriam.  Just my experience.   J\K 

[LI Outdoorsman]

Maybe it's because I have a slam, but I don't care if they are hybrids or not, I just want to hunt 'em!

Same here bud!!
After I got my World slam I just like chasing turkeys no matter the breed I dont care!

[supremepredator]

I concur, a turkey is a turkey. who cares if it's a hybrid. hybridization is a good thing as it will make the birds stronger and more disease resist. It will also make them smarter and harder to hunt 

[mgm1955]

Geographical location in combination with the typical physical characteristics of a given sub-species...

In some areas of the country, with multiple sub-species being common, outside of genetic testing, it would be impossible to know the percentages of hybridization or to confirm the purity of sub-species of any particular bird.

Right on.