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8

Wild Turkeys, Quail, Grouse, and Pheasants

Marjorie Cahak Gibson

Natural History

Worldwide, there are 300 species in five families considered to be in the order Galliformes (Gill and
Donsker 2019). In North America, these include grouse, pheasants, turkeys, quail, and curassows.
These terrestrial birds have added much to human history and continue to play a huge role in
human life through art, literature, and, notably, economics. They are considered by many to be the
single most important source of protein in the world today.
These species are terrestrial, meaning living and foraging on the ground, although they do roost
in trees. Although equipped with strong wings, they are not known for their flight ability due to the
round, short structure of the wing. Flight is in short, powerful bursts. These birds have chicken‐
like feet, which are feathered in some species and are equipped with hard nails for scratching the
ground to expose food. They do not swim. The main method of escaping from predators is by run-
ning or taking evasive action. If forced to defend themselves, they use their strong legs, feet, nails,
and occasionally spurs to thwart attackers. The wings can be used aggressively as clubs to beat
enemies, or in some cases rehabilitators or rescuers.
Most species have cryptic coloration, feathers that match their environment. Some, like ptarmi-
gans, molt and change color seasonally. This cryptic form of camouflage allows individuals to
blend into the habitat, remaining inconspicuous to people and predators.
Wild Galliformes most likely to be encountered in wildlife rehabilitation facilities include pheas-
ants, quail, grouse, partridges, ptarmigans, prairie chickens, turkeys, peafowl, and jungle fowl.
Due to widespread domestication and hybridization of several species, caregivers should make
every effort to correctly identify the patient, as it may be a domestic fowl, an escaped exotic species,
a native species, or even a threatened or endangered species. In some regions, populations of native
species such as quail and Prairie Chickens have declined dramatically, causing the birds to be listed
as threatened or endangered. Nonindigenous species have been introduced regionally in North
American by sportsmen and organizations in attempts to establish new hunting opportunities.
Some introduced species, such as the Ring‐necked Pheasant, have become so common in regions
of the U.S., that they are considered native by some. See Chapter 7 for information on hand‐rearing
chickens and other domestic Galliformes.

Hand-Rearing Birds, Second Edition. Edited by Rebecca S. Duerr and Laurie J. Gage.
© 2020 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Published 2020 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.