The Redwing: National Bird of Turkey

Turkey has several bird sanctuaries, which provide key habitats for migrating birds. Some of these are very rare birds, like the white-headed duck. There are also resident birds that live in Turkey year-round. Much of Turkey’s coastline borders the Black Sea, Aegean Sea, and Mediterranean Sea. This location means a diversity of shorebirds can be found in Turkey. Thousands of migrating flamingoes inhabit Lake Tuz, which hosts one of the largest populations of pink flamingoes in the world. With so many amazing birds, how do the people of Turkey choose just one to represent their county? Is the national bird of Turkey actually the turkey? Or did they choose the pink flamingo, Dalmatian pelican, or elegant swan? Read on to find out all about the national bird of Turkey.

What is the National Bird of Turkey?

The national bird of Turkey is the redwing, a medium-sized thrush bird that looks similar to an American robin. Instead of a read breast, it has a red patch on the underside of its wing. Their breasts are cream-colored and spotted with dark brown markings. They have a cream band above each eye, short black beaks, and bright black eyes characteristic of songbirds of this region.

How Big are Redwings?

Redwings are smaller than American robins, around 8-9 inches long with a wingspan around 1 foot wide. These are lightweight birds, weighing anywhere from 50-75 g. The females and males have the same plumage and are similar in size.

Where do Redwings Live?

Redwings live in Europe and northern Asia and have a very large range. They live as far north as Iceland! Some winter in northern Egypt, Algeria, and Morrocco. Redwings are common in Turkey, with non-breeding populations wintering in the country. In contrast, some populations in Norway are resident birds and do not migrate during the winter.

They often live in fields, parks, and backyard gardens, wherever they can find ample food. It is common to see flocks of redwings living together, hopping around looking for insects and earthworms. Besides insects and worms, redwings will eat berries in the fall and winter.

Are Redwings an Endangered Species?

According to the IUCN, the global population of redwings is declining. It is not an endangered species but it is “Near Threatened” on a global scale. The IUCN last assessed their population in August of 2016. They expressed concern over populations in Europe and recommended further evaluation in Asian Russia. Because these birds live in the cooler northern parts of Europe and Asia, climate change greatly affects them. More and more, they have to adjust their migration times to accommodate harsher or milder winters. Over-grazing in some areas is also affecting the availability of food. In the Mediterranean, one of the threats is illegal trapping.

Why is the Turkey not the National Bird of Turkey?

The two Turkeys are actually unrelated. The country of Turkey existed first, before the bird was named. When European settlers found turkeys in North America, they thought they looked a lot like the guinea fowls back home. These guinea fowls were imported from the Turks, so they called them turkey-cocks and turkey hens. For this reason, European settlers started calling these new birds “turkeys”.

Are there Turkeys in Turkey?

These birds are not native to the country, but Turkey does have domesticated turkey farms similar to ones in America. The popularity of turkey spread across Europe and Asia and now the bird can be found in many countries. In Turkey, they call the turkey hindi, which means “Indian”. This is a reference to Christopher Columbus’ error, when he thought he had landed in Asia.

What other Animals Live in Turkey?

Animals that live in Turkey today are fox, deer, beaver, wolves, and bears. There are also some native animals in Turkey that do not inhabit North America, like camels.

The Black Sea is a saltwater sea where you will find a wide variety of fish and sea life. Tuna, mackerel, white sturgeon, bottlenose dolphins, and spiny dogfish sharks all inhabit these waters.

Turkey also has some of the last remaining Mediterranean monk seals left in the world. According to the IUCN, these seals are “Endangered”. They only live in western Turkey, Greece, Croatia, and Portugal, with unknown existence in a few other scattered areas. As of July 2015, 350-450 individuals remained. They can grow to 7 ½ – 9 feet long and live along beaches and caves in the Mediterranean and Aegean Sea. The Mediterranean monk seal is a protected animal and conservation efforts are in place to help these unique seals.

What is the National Animal of Turkey?

The national animal of turkey is the gray wolf. The gray wolf was featured in myths of the early Turkish people. They believed a she-wolf was responsible for breeding half human-half wolf children that went on to become great leaders. Other legends site it was a she-wolf that led the Turkish people to their freedom.

Gray wolves are also called timber wolves and can be found in North America. However, in the lower 48 states, the timber wolf was almost completely eliminated. By the 1900s, the timber wolf only lived in northern Minnesota and Isle Royal, Michigan. Conservational efforts have caused an increase in the timber wolf population since the 1970’s. They now have a much larger range in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, North Dakota, and South Dakota. Perhaps we will see a similar effect in Turkey with the Mediterranean monk seal.

Is the Gray Wolf or Redwing on the National Flag of Turkey?

There are no animals on the national flag of Turkey. The coat of arms is also not on the flag. Instead, the flag of Turkey has a red background with a white crescent and star. The crescent often represents the crescent moon or the religion of Islam. Turkey has a predominantly Muslim population, and the “star and crescent” are important symbols in their culture and history.

Turkish people revere the gray wolf and redwing, and honor them through legends, art, and literature.

Up Next

• 10 Incredible Turkey Facts
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• 10 Most Common Types of Thrush Birds

The photo featured at the top of this post is © iStock.com/MikeLane45