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Turkey

Meleagris

The turkey is a large bird in the genus Meleagris, which is native to the Americas. One species, Meleagris gallopavo, commonly known as the wild turkey or domestic turkey, is native to the forests of North America, mainly Mexico and the United States. The other living species is Meleagris ocellata or the ocellated turkey, native to the forests of the Yucatán Peninsula. Males of both turkey species have a distinctive fleshy wattle or protuberance that hangs from the top of the beak (called a snood). They are among the largest birds in their ranges. As in many galliformes, the male is larger and much more colorful than the female.

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