Deirochelys reticularia
Silhouette: SeismicShrimp · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~40%
The chicken turtle (Deirochelys reticularia) is a turtle native to the southeastern United States. It is the only extant member of the genus Deirochelys and is a member of the freshwater marsh turtle family Emydidae. The chicken turtle's scientific name refers to its extremely long neck and distinctive net-like pattern on its upper shell. There are three regionally distinct subspecies (eastern, western and Florida), which are thought to have evolved when populations became separated during periods of glaciation. These subspecies can be distinguished by their appearance; the western chicken turtle displays dark markings along the seams of its plastron (lower shell), while the plastron of the Florida subspecies is a bright yellow or orange color. Fossil records show that the chicken turtle has been present in the region for up to five million years.
Chicken turtles inhabit shallow, still or slow-moving bodies of water with plenty of vegetation and a muddy substrate. They are not found in rivers or deeper lakes that may be home to predators such as alligators and large fish. The chicken turtle is predominantly carnivorous and feeds mostly on invertebrates such as crayfish, dragonflies and spiders, but is also known to eat tadpoles, carrion and occasionally plant material. It is an active hunter and its long neck allows it to catch fast-moving prey. Although feeding and mating take place in aquatic environments, the chicken turtle is very well adapted to living on land and may spend more than half the year out of the water. Like many reptiles, it spends much of the day basking in the sun to regulate its body temperature, but unlike most other aquatic turtles, it hibernates over the winter months except in the warmer, southernmost reaches of its range.
The chicken turtle is relatively small compared to other related turtles, with males measuring up to around 16.5 cm (6.5 in) and females around 26.0 cm (10.2 in). It is also one of the world's shortest-lived turtles, reaching a maximum age of 20–24 years. There are thought to be around 100,000 adult chicken turtles in the wild. Although the population as a whole is considered secure, its status in some areas is less certain and several states have listed it as threatened or introduced regulations to manage hunting or taking. The word "chicken" in the turtle's vernacular name is apparently a reference to the taste of its meat, which was once popular in turtle soup and commonly sold in southern markets. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Big Cypress National Preserve | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Everglades National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge | 🇺🇸 United States |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Moscow Zoo | 🇷🇺 Russia | |
| 2 | Brookfield Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Zoo Koki (Parque zoológico y botánico) | 🇪🇸 Spain | |
| 4 | South Carolina Aquarium | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Flint RiverQuarium | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Tennessee Aquarium | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 7 | UGA Marine Education Center and Aquarium | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 8 | Zoológico Miguél Álvarez del Toro | 🇲🇽 Mexico |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Chicken Turtle sighting in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge on a given day, based on 29 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 31st most-seen of the 35 reptiles we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 40%, if each day is a fresh chance.
April–May and August–January
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Chicken Turtle in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge on a given day, against under 5% in February–March and June–July, the lowest months.
Between 10 am and 1 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Chicken Turtle sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Among the best
Of the 3 parks where we can rate Chicken Turtle sightings, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge ranks 3rd at about 10%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Big Cypress National Preserve (United States, about 10%) and Everglades National Park (United States, about 10%).
Same family: Emydidae
The closest relatives of the Chicken Turtle that you can see in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge (family Emydidae, Pond and Box Turtles) are Peninsular Cooter (about 30%), Common Box Turtle (about 10%) and Florida Redbelly Turtle (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Chicken Turtle is recorded against all the reptiles logged in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge (29 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
