Wild Turkey

This is a secondary wing feather from a Wild Turkey, a large ground-dwelling bird with iridescent plumage and a naked head. The feather features the diagnostic bold, pale horizontal bars against a dark background.

Dark chocolate brown to nearly black base color with distinct white or cream-colored horizontal barring (bands). The metallic bronze sheen characteristic of the species is visible in certain lights.

Strongly pennaceous and interlocked throughout the main vane; the base shows plumulaceous (downy) barbs for insulation. The barbs are stiff and durable.

The surface is somewhat matte with a slight oily/waxy coating for water resistance. It feels stiff and coarse to the touch compared to a raptor or songbird feather.

Bold white-on-brown banding, rounded tip, broad width, and stiff texture typical of the Galliformes order.

Open woodlands, hardwood forests with scattered openings, pastures, and increasingly in suburban areas with sufficient tree cover.

Common across North America from southern Canada to Mexico. They are year-round residents throughout New England, including Rhode Island.

Large-scale seed disperser and omnivorous consumer; they serve as a primary prey species for large predators like coyotes and bobcats.

Similar to feathers from female Ring-necked Pheasants or Ruffed Grouse, but significantly larger and with more distinct, wide banding.

Wild Turkeys were once proposed by Benjamin Franklin as the national bird of the United States. They can fly at speeds up to 55 mph over short distances and roost in trees at night.

Good condition; minor fraying at the edges suggest it may be a molted feather from the previous season. No significant sun bleaching is visible.

Rhode Island woodlands