Emily Carter
The chicken turtle (Deirochelys reticularia) is a turtle native to the southeastern United States. Its name likely originates from an early description of the species in the 1800s, which stated that the meat of the chicken turtle tastes better than the cooters – more like chicken. The chicken turtle is relatively small compared to other turtles, with a long neck and an oval-shaped shell. They are semi-aquatic, inhabiting shallow, still, or slow-moving bodies of water and spending a significant amount of time on land.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Reason for name | The name "chicken" in chicken turtle likely comes from an early description of the species in the 1800s that stated it "taste [s] better than the cooters – more like chicken"" |
| Alternatively, it may refer to the turtle's unusually long neck |
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What You'll Learn
The chicken turtle's diet
Chicken turtles are native to the southeastern United States, and can be found in states such as North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. They are semiaquatic and inhabit shallow, still, or slow-moving bodies of water with plenty of vegetation and a muddy substrate. Chicken turtles are relatively small compared to other turtles, with males measuring up to 16.5 cm and females measuring around 26 cm. They are also one of the world's shortest-lived turtles, with a maximum lifespan of 20-24 years.
Chicken turtles are predominantly carnivorous and feed mostly on invertebrates such as crayfish, dragonflies, and spiders. They are active hunters and use their long necks to catch fast-moving prey. In addition to invertebrates, chicken turtles also eat tadpoles, carrion, and occasionally plant material. In a study of chicken turtle fecal matter in South Carolina, dragonfly nymphs were the most commonly observed food items, along with snails, spiders, and insects such as backswimmers and water bugs.
The diet of chicken turtles may vary slightly depending on their location and the availability of food sources. For example, research in Oklahoma found that adults of the western subspecies followed a more omnivorous diet compared to other populations, with plant material or seeds found in 92.6% of fecal samples. This is in contrast to investigations in north-central Florida, where only six out of twenty-five turtles had consumed trace amounts of plants or algae.
Chicken turtles are known to be tolerant of some types of pollution and have been observed living in sewage treatment ponds in North Carolina. They are also listed as endangered in Virginia due to predation and human activity. Overall, the chicken turtle population is considered secure, but their status in certain areas is less certain, and several states have implemented regulations to manage hunting and protect their populations.
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The chicken turtle's habitat
The chicken turtle is native to the southeastern United States. Its range extends from the coastal plains of Virginia, through the deep south, west to Texas, and north to Arkansas. They are found throughout the state of Florida, and their distribution reaches as far north as Missouri and as far west as Oklahoma and central Texas.
Chicken turtles are semi-aquatic, inhabiting wetland habitats and upland forested areas. They are selective about their aquatic environments, preferring quiet, shallow, and slow-moving bodies of water with clear or tannic water. These can include ephemeral waterways, such as ponds, oxbow lakes, marshes, swamps, and bays. They avoid larger water bodies like rivers, creeks, and streams, as well as turbid or muddy systems, to minimize the risk of encountering predators. During dry seasons, chicken turtles may venture far from water sources, seeking upland habitats.
In Virginia, chicken turtles occupy freshwater interdunal ponds and sinkhole complexes. These habitats experience seasonal water fluctuations and are devoid of predatory fish. The species is considered endangered in this state due to predation and human disturbances.
The Eastern Chicken Turtle (Deirochelys reticularia reticularia) is found in southern Virginia, coastal Carolinas, southern Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, and the Florida panhandle. Its carapace is dark gray to olive green with a yellow line pattern, and its plastron is solid yellow to yellow-orange.
The Florida Chicken Turtle (D. r. chrysea) inhabits the Florida peninsula, lacking the dark markings on the underside of the bridge seen in other subspecies. The Western Chicken Turtle (D. r. miaria) is found west of the Mississippi River in Louisiana, Texas, and Arkansas. Its plastron features dark markings within the seams of the plastron scutes.
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The chicken turtle's hibernation
Chicken turtles are native to the southeastern United States. They are the only surviving member of the genus Deirochelys and are part of the freshwater marsh turtle family Emydidae. They are semi-aquatic and inhabit shallow, still, or slow-moving bodies of water with plenty of vegetation and a muddy substrate. They are selective of which water bodies they inhabit and may spend months out of the water in upland forested areas. They prefer quiet, shallow waterways where the water is clear or at least tannic, avoiding turbid or muddy systems. They are also found in the wetlands, interdunal ponds, and sinkholes.
Chicken turtles have an unusually long neck, almost as long as their shell, and an oval-shaped shell. The name "chicken" in the turtle's vernacular name likely comes from a description of the species in the 1800s, which stated that the turtle "tastes better than the cooters—more like chicken." The chicken turtle is predominantly carnivorous, and its long neck allows it to catch fast-moving prey. It feeds on invertebrates such as crayfish, dragonflies, and spiders, as well as tadpoles, carrion, and occasionally plant material.
Like many reptiles, chicken turtles spend much of their day basking in the sun to regulate their body temperature. They are extremely wary while basking and can be easily startled. They are also active in the morning and late afternoon, avoiding the hottest hours of the day.
During the summer, when their aquatic habitats begin to dry up, chicken turtles will aestivate, or enter a temporary period of dormancy, in the surrounding forests until the rains refill the wetlands. In early October, as the weather cools, they leave their aquatic habitats to hibernate terrestrially. They seek out mud or vegetation around the edges of the ponds and swamps they inhabit. Chicken turtles hibernate during the winter months in the northern part of their range.
Chicken turtles are one of the world's shortest-lived turtles, with a maximum lifespan of 20–24 years. They reach sexual maturity in about two years, which is quick compared to most other turtle species. Nesting begins in summer and continues through fall and winter, with females typically laying two clutches of 5–13 eggs per year in early spring and again in late August or September.
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The chicken turtle's neck and shell
The chicken turtle's long neck is distinctive and unusual. It is close to the length of its shell, and allows it to catch fast-moving prey. The name "chicken turtle" may refer to this unusually long neck, but it is more likely that the name comes from an early description of the species in the 1800s, which stated that it "taste[s] better than the cooters – more like chicken". The chicken turtle is the only extant species in the genus Deirochelys, which is derived from the Ancient Greek words for "neck" (deirḗ) and "tortoise" (khélūs).
The chicken turtle's shell is oval-shaped, elongated, and pear-shaped, with the rear half noticeably wider than the front. The shell ranges from dark green to brown in colour and features a distinctive yellowish net-like pattern across its entire upper surface. The shell has a ridged or wrinkled texture and is rough to the touch. The underside of the bridge (the part of the shell connecting the carapace and plastron) usually has two dark blotches. The plastron (lower shell) sometimes features a spot or indistinct splotch of colour. The chicken turtle has particularly slender ribs, which have supposedly developed to accommodate its long, muscular neck.
The Eastern Chicken Turtle (Deirochelys reticularia reticularia) has a "domed"-shaped carapace, with a dark grey to olive green colour and a distinct yellow line pattern that resembles a cast net. The plastron is solid yellow to yellow-orange. The Florida Chicken Turtle (D. r. chrysea) does not have the dark markings on the underside of the bridge that are present in the Eastern Chicken Turtle. The Western Chicken Turtle (D. r. miaria) has a plastron that is not solid yellow, but rather has dark markings within the seams of the plastron scutes.
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The chicken turtle's subspecies
The chicken turtle, native to the southeastern United States, is the only surviving species in the genus Deirochelys. Its name is derived from the Ancient Greek words for "neck" (deirḗ) and "tortoise" (khélūs), owing to its notably long neck. There are three distinct subspecies of chicken turtles, as described by Albert Schwartz in 1956:
Eastern Chicken Turtle (D. r. reticularia)
The eastern chicken turtle is the largest of the three chicken turtle subspecies, with males measuring up to 16.5 cm and females up to 26 cm. It was first described by Latreille in 1801. Its distinguishing feature is the colour of its carapace, which ranges from olive to brown with a yellow rim. The underside of its shell sometimes features a spot or indistinct splotch of colour. This subspecies is found in South Carolina, where it occupies freshwater habitats, interdunal cypress ponds, and sinkholes.
Florida Chicken Turtle (D. r. chrysea)
The Florida chicken turtle has the most distinctively patterned carapace of all chicken turtles, featuring bold, broad yellow-orange reticulation. Its shell is wedge-shaped, especially noticeable in males and juvenile turtles. The subspecies name chrysea is derived from the Latin "golden one," referring to the bright yellow or orange colour of its plastron. This subspecies is found in the Florida peninsula, and it is distinguished by the absence of dark markings on the underside of the bridge.
Western Chicken Turtle (D. r. miaria)
The Western chicken turtle is the smallest subspecies, with males measuring up to 16.1 cm and females up to 21 cm. Its carapace is oval-shaped and flatter than that of the other subspecies. The subspecies epithet miaria comes from the Greek word "stained", referring to the dark pattern along the seams of its plastron. This subspecies is found west of the Mississippi River in Louisiana, Texas, and Arkansas.
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Frequently asked questions
The name "chicken turtle" likely comes from an early description of the species in the 1800s that stated it "taste [s] better than the cooters – more like chicken."
According to early accounts, chicken turtles taste like chicken. The word "chicken" in the turtle's name is a reference to the taste of its meat, which was once popular in turtle soup and commonly sold in southern markets.
The chicken turtle has an unusually long neck and an oval-shaped shell. Its shell is elongated and pear-shaped, with the rear half noticeably wider than the front. The shell ranges from dark green to brown in color and features a distinctive yellowish net-like pattern across its entire upper surface.
