HABITAT

In Texas, chicken turtles usually live in ephemeral wetlands from February to July, then migrate to upland estivation sites and bury underground for the remainder of summer, fall, and winter.

Wetland

Upland

Chicken turtles prefer shallow, still, gently sloping wetlands that dry up from time to time. Dense aquatic vegetation is an important component of their habitat.

Though they will occasionally use roadside ditches when traveling from wetland to wetland, they are not usually found in the moving waters of streams, creeks, or rivers.

Vegetation is an important component of the chicken turtle’s habitat, and they are most common in wetlands where at least 50% of the wetland contains dense vegetation. Most species of emergent or submerged aquatic plants can provide good habitat, but here are a few plant species commonly associated with western chicken turtles:

America Lotus
(Nelumbo lutea)

Horned Beaksedge
(Rhynchospora macrostachya)

Floating Primrose willow
(Ludwigia peploides)

Coontail
(Ceratophyllum demersum)

Pondweed
( Potamogeton)

Filamentous Algae
(Spirogyra, Anabaena, Oscillatoria, Lyngbya, Pithophora)

Water primrose
(Ludwigia)

For most of the year, chicken turtles are underground at upland estivation sites. They bury themselves completely, and often dig beneath dense, thorny vines or shrubs for extra protection while they are estivating.

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Upland estivation habitat

Estivating western chicken turtle, partially excavated