Wild Turkey

A large, heavy-bodied ground bird. Males (toms) feature iridescent bronze plumage, a featherless red/blue head, and a 'beard'. These dark flight feathers are built for short, explosive bursts of flight rather than long-distance soaring.

Solid iridescent bronze-brown to matte dark chocolate throughout the visible vane; rachis is a pale cream to yellowish-white. Unlike most turkey feathers, these outermost primaries often lack the distinct white barring found on inner primaries and secondaries

Pennaceous and tightly interlocked for most of the vane; plumulaceous (fluffy) at the very base; extremely stiff and durable barbicels to withstand powerful ground-clearing wingbeats

Smooth, stiff, and somewhat oily; leading edge is exceptionally rigid; dorsal surface has a slight metallic sheen or gloss when held to the light; ventral surface is more matte

Extreme asymmetry of the vane; dark uniform brownish-black coloration; thick, pale-colored rachis; large size and rigid texture

Open woodlands, hardwood forests with clearings, pasture lands, and agricultural fields; requires large trees for roosting and dense ground cover for nesting

Resident across much of North America, from southern Canada throughout the United States to central Mexico; non-migratory

Omnivorous foragers that act as seed dispersers; they serve as a major prey species for large predators and are indicators of healthy hardwood forest ecosystems

Black Vulture (shorter, broader, darker rachis), Golden Eagle (much larger, different base coloring), or Common Raven (glossier black, different shaft structure)

The Wild Turkey was Benjamin Franklin's preferred choice for the national bird of the US. They are surprisingly fast, capable of running at 25 mph and flying at 55 mph in short bursts.

Good condition; slight fraying along the trailing edge (distal barbs); clear droplets on the surface suggest recent exposure to moisture or oils; no significant fault bars visible