Bird
Wild Turkey
Meleagris gallopavo
Photo: Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA
Common Names
Eastern Wild Turkey
Habitat
Deciduous forests, woodland edges, and river bottoms in the eastern portion of the route
First Observed
1804-06-10
Observed At
Along the lower Missouri River near present-day Jefferson City, Missouri
Wild turkeys were observed in the wooded river bottoms of the lower Missouri and again on the return journey. Clark specifically noted discovering “the first Signs of the wild turkey” as they descended the Missouri in August 1806, marking their return to the eastern forests. The birds served as an important food source when other game was scarce.
Journal References
15 journal entries mention Wild Turkey
Jul
25
1804
Clark: July 25, 1804
... Town in the Plate N. Side.
Wind from the S. E. 2 Deer & a Turkey Killed to Day Several Grous Seen
in the Prarie
---
White Catfish Camp 25th of July Wednesday a fai...
Jul
30
1804
Clark: July 30, 1804
...t qts. of
Catfish G. D. Cought one Small Beever alive. Som Turkey & Gees Killed
to day. arms & all things in order. a fair evining, and Cool.
---
July 30th Monday 1...
Aug
5
1804
Clark: August 5, 1804
...ed on the S. S.I went on Shore S. S. this evening Saw Some
turkeys and in persueing them Struk the river 12 miles below the place by
water I went out, I think the P...
Aug
9
1804
Clark: August 9, 1804
...ent on Shore found the Land the Same as
yesterday Killed a Turkey and Camped on the L. S. great deel of Beaver
Sign to day one Beaver Cought Musquetors worse this e...
Sep
5
1804
Clark: September 5, 1804
...t, we Set up a jury mast & Sailed, I
saw a large gangue of Turkeys, also Grous Seen Passed a large Island of
about 3 miles long in the Middle of the river opposit t...
Sep
8
1804
Clark: September 8, 1804
...sting of 2 buffalow, one large Buck Elk one Small, 4 Deer 3 Turkeys
& a Squirel, I joined the boat at this Camp, The Countrey on the S S.
is pore & broken.
[Clark a...
Sep
17
1804
Lewis: September 17, 1804
...intered with the Chien Indians About the size of the common wild turkey
the plumage perfectly whitethis bird is booted as low as the toes-
Oct
1
1804
Clark: October 1, 1804
...vel, Those
mountains is inhabited also by the white booted Turkeys worthy of remark
that the Grouse or Prarie hen is Booted, the Toes of their feet So
constructed ...
Oct
3
1804
Clark: October 3, 1804
...c. &c. at 1 oClock an Indian Came to the
Bank S. S, with a turkey on his back 4 other soon joined him Some rain,
Saw Brant & white guts flying Southerly
---
3rd of ...
Jul
21
1805
Lewis: July 21, 1805
...n today
with their young. the young Crain is as large as a turkey and cannot fly
they are of a bright red bey colour or that of the common deer at this
season. thi...
Aug
20
1805
Clark: August 20, 1805
...ungal fowl with feshey
protuberances about the head like a turkey. Frost last night
Aug
20
1805
Lewis: August 20, 1805
...out the base of the upper chap, something like
that of the turkey tho without the snout.
Aug
24
1805
Clark: August 24, 1805
... in my absence.
also a heath hen, near the Size of a Small turkey.
I wrote a letter to Capt Lewis informing him of the prospects before us
and information recved of...
Oct
17
1805
Clark: October 17, 1805
...n
numberI killed a Fowl of the Pheasent kind as large as a turkey.
The length from his Beeck to the end of its tail 2 feet 63/4
Inches, from the extremity of its w...
Mar
2
1806
Clark: March 2, 1806
...ids of
that river. this fowl is about 3/4ths the Size of a turkey. the beak is
large Short Curved and convex. the upper exceeding the lower chap. the
nostrils are ...
