Wild Turkey

Large, heavy-bodied ground bird with long legs and a wide, rounded tail. Males ('tom') have iridescent bronze plumage and a red wattled head, while females ('hens') are duller brown. Their flight feathers are strikingly barred for camouflage in dappled forest light.

Distinctive bold barring of dark brownish-black and creamy white/buff; the rachis is yellowish-tan; the pattern is consistent with the disruptive coloration of the Meleagris genus

Densely packed pennaceous (interlocked) barbs along the majority of the vane for aerodynamic integrity, with a small plumulaceous (fluffy) section at the very base near the calamus

Relatively stiff and coarse; the surface is matte with a slightly waxy feel, providing water resistance and durability for a ground-dwelling bird

High-contrast horizontal white-and-dark barring, strong asymmetry of the vane, and a thick yellowish central shaft

Found in mature forests with open understories, oak-hickory woodlands, as well as agricultural fields and grasslands near cover

Resident throughout most of North America, from southern Canada through the United States to central Mexico; non-migratory but may shift ranges seasonally for food

Omnivorous 'ecosystem engineers' that disperse seeds and control insect populations; they serve as a primary prey source for large predators like bobcats and coyotes

Red-shouldered Hawk (more rounded, different barring frequency) or Barred Owl (much softer, 'velvety' texture, and silent flight adaptations)

Wild Turkeys was Benjamin Franklin's preferred choice for the national bird of the US over the Bald Eagle; they can reach speeds of 55 mph in flight despite their heavy appearance

Fair to Good; the feather shows significant wear and splitting (separation of the barbs) at the tip and along the trailing edge, common in molted feathers or those from ground-roosting birds