Meleagris californica (Miller, 1909)
Systematics: Aves Galliformes Phasianidae Meleagridinae
Size: 1 m long
Type Horizon and Locality: Pleistocene, Rancho La Brea, California, US
Type Specimen:
Meleagris californica is an extinct species of turkey that lived in California to as late as 10,000 BC. It was one of the most common birds found trapped in the Rancho La Brea pit. The species was originally thought to be a peacock. It was a slightly more sturdier version of the modern wild turkey.
November 22, 2018
References:
Miller, L. H. (1909). Pavo californicus, a fossil peacock from the quaternary asphalt beds of Rancho la-Brea. University Press.
Miller, L. H. (1916). A review of the species Pavo californicus. University of California Publications. Bulletin of the Department of Geology, 9(7), 89-96.
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