Wild Turkey

A classic body feather from North America's largest game bird. Adult Wild Turkeys are heavy-bodied with long necks and iridescent feathers that appear dark until hit by sunlight. This specific feather shows the characteristic 'double' appearance common in ground-dwelling birds where an aftershaft provides extra warmth.

Bicolored with a neutral grey or brownish-grey base transitioning into a dark, iridescent blackish-brown tip; lacks the sharp barring of wing feathers

Dual-structured: base is plumulaceous (downy) for insulation, while the distal half is pennaceous with interlocked barbs; distinctive sparse branching at the base

The base is extremely soft and fuzzy (matte), while the tip is stiffer and possesses a slight oily sheen typical of Galliformes plumage

Dramatic transition from light grey downy base to dark brownish-black tip and the presence of a well-developed aftershaft

Open woodlands, hardwood forests with scattered clearings, pastures, and occasionally suburban edges with mature trees

Native to North America, ranging from southern Canada through the central and eastern United States into parts of Mexico; widely reintroduced across the US

Omnivorous foragers that act as seed dispersers and are a major prey species for large predators; their presence indicates healthy mast-producing forests

Ring-necked Pheasant (smaller, often warmer orange/buff tones) or Ruffed Grouse (more distinct mottling and smaller overall size)

The Wild Turkey was Benjamin Franklin's preferred choice for the national bird of the United States because of its courage and native roots.

Good condition; showing natural wear at the tip which suggests it was a naturally molted feather rather than pulled