Wild Turkey (Eastern Wild Turkey, Merriam's Wild Turkey, Rio Grande Wild Turkey, Gould's Wild Turkey, Ocellated Turkey)

The Wild Turkey is a large, iconic North American game bird renowned for its fan-shaped tail, iridescent bronze plumage, and bare, colorful heads of adult males. They are robust ground-dwellers with powerful legs, capable of short, explosive flights and running at high speeds.

Rich grayish-brown to dark charcoal-gray base with fine vermiculation, featuring a wide, velvety black subterminal band and a distinct pale buff or whitish-brown terminal margin.

Pennaceous at the upper exposed tip providing a smooth interlocking surface, transitioning to slightly looser or plumulaceous structure near the base with a small, rudimentary afterfeather.

Relatively stiff and smooth at the pennaceous tip, soft and downy near the base, with a matte, non-glossy finish characteristic of terrestrial gallinaceous birds.

Broad, rounded contour feather featuring a distinctive dark subterminal band bordered by a pale tip, characteristic of upper body feathers on a Wild Turkey.

Open hardwood and mixed conifer-hardwood forests with scattered clearings, pastures, and agricultural fields, often near water sources.

Native to North America, ranging across the forested regions of the United States, parts of southern Canada, and down into Mexico; widely introduced elsewhere.

Acts as an important seed disperser, insect predator, and a vital food source for large mammalian and avian predators.

Domestic turkey variants, Grouse species, and Pheasants, distinguished primarily by size, exact banding width, and coloration nuances.

Wild Turkeys can fly up to 55 mph for short distances, despite their heavy body weight, and sleep in trees at night to avoid predators.

Good condition with minor wear at the edges, intact rachis, and no visible parasitic damage or heavy fading.