The Gould’s turkey, Meleagris gallopavo mexicana, is the largest of the five North American wild turkey subspecies. It is also considered the most geographically isolated, primarily inhabiting mountainous regions.
Identifying Features of the Gould’s Turkey
The Gould’s turkey is distinguished by prominent, bright white tips on its tail feathers and upper tail covert feathers, creating a striking “eyelash” appearance. The Merriam’s turkey, for instance, exhibits light or snow-white tips, but the Gould’s are notably whiter in comparison.
Beyond its tail, the Gould’s turkey possesses a larger body frame, along with longer legs, larger feet, and more substantial center tail feathers than other North American subspecies. Its body plumage often presents a blue-green coloration. The lower back and rump feathers display copper and greenish-gold reflections, which contrasts with the faintly iridescent velvety black found on the Merriam’s turkey.
Habitat and Natural Range
The Gould’s turkey primarily inhabits the Sierra Madre Occidental mountain range in Mexico. Within Mexico, populations are found across several states, including Sonora, Chihuahua, Sinaloa, Durango, Zacatecas, Nayarit, Jalisco, and Coahuila. These mountainous environments often feature rough, steep terrain with rocky canyons and preferred pine-oak and fir forests.
In the United States, limited populations of Gould’s turkeys exist in the “sky island” mountain ranges of southern Arizona and New Mexico. These include areas like the Animas and San Luis mountains of New Mexico, and the Peloncillo Mountains spanning parts of both New Mexico and Arizona. Elevations in their range can vary from approximately 4,500 to 6,500 feet in the U.S. and exceed 9,800 feet in Mexico.
Conservation and Reintroduction Efforts
Gould’s turkey populations declined significantly in the early 20th century due to overhunting and habitat loss. By 1929, when legal hunting seasons began in Arizona, the subspecies was rare or locally extinct within the state. This prompted restoration efforts.
Conservation groups, including the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF), partnered with U.S. and Mexican wildlife agencies to initiate recovery programs. These collaborations involved organizations like the Arizona Game and Fish Department, the U.S. Forest Service, and the Centro Ecologico de Sonora. A key strategy was trap-and-transfer programs.
Around the 1990s, approximately 35 wild Gould’s turkeys were captured in Mexico and released into Arizona’s Sky Islands. These reintroduced birds adapted and reproduced successfully, leading to recovery. By 2014, surveys indicated a population of over 1,200 Gould’s turkeys across Arizona and New Mexico.
Successful conservation efforts have allowed for highly regulated hunting opportunities. These are sought by hunters aiming to complete the “World Slam” or “Royal Slam” of wild turkeys.