The wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) is a species of upland fowl in the family Phasianidae, and one of only two extant species of turkeys. It is native to North America, and is the heaviest-known galliform bird.
There are seven subspecies of wild turkey:
- Meleagris gallopavo gallopavo: South Mexican turkey, found in central Mexico
- Meleagris gallopavo silvestris: eastern turkey, found in the eastern half of North America
- Meleagris gallopavo osceola: Osceola turkey, found on the Florida Peninsula
- Meleagris gallopavo intermedia: Rio Grande turkey, found in the central North American plains
- Meleagris gallopavo merriami: Merriam’s turkey, found in the Rocky Mountains and nearby prairies and mesas
- Meleagris gallopavo mexicana: Gould’s turkey, found in valleys and mountains on the Mexico-U.S. border
- Meleagris gallopavo domesticus: domestic turkey, a domesticated descendant of the South Mexican turkey
