Muscle from turkeys is more sensitive to lipid oxidation during post mortem storage compared with that of chicken and duck which may involve increased lysis of turkey erythrocytes that releases hemoglobin oxidant. Three separate experiments were conducted to study characteristics of chicken, duck, and turkey erythrocytes in which dietary tocopherols were standardized. In Experiment I, tocopherol, fatty acid composition, and lipid oxidation capacity were measured in erythrocytes from chickens, ducks, and turkeys. Tocopherol content was greater in chicken erythrocytes compared with that of duck and turkey (P < 0.05). Oleic and linoleic acid content was higher in chicken erythrocytes compared with that of turkey (P < 0.05). Lipid oxidation capacity of erythrocytes in washed turkey muscle (WTM) at pH 5.8 ranked chicken > duck > turkey (P < 0.05). In Experiment II, hemolysis was measured in erythrocytes from turkeys and chickens. Detergent-induced hemolysis (pH 7.4) was on average 12-fold greater for turkey erythrocytes compared with that of chicken (P < 0.05). In Experiment III, the ability of lysed and non-lysed erythrocytes to promote lipid oxidation was examined. Lysed erythrocytes promoted lipid oxidation in WTM more effectively than intact erythrocytes (P < 0.05). Reasons that turkey erythrocytes were more labile to detergent-induced hemolysis whereas chicken erythrocytes more effectively promoted lipid oxidation in the WTM model system are discussed. These studies describe variation in chemical and physical properties of erythrocytes from chickens, ducks, and turkeys that can influence progression of lipid oxidation in poultry muscle.