Wild Turkey

A striking elongated wing feather featuring 'zebra' stripping. The bird itself is a large, heavy-bodied ground bird with a naked head, iridescent bronze plumage, and a fan-shaped tail.

Bold, high-contrast alternating bands of dark brownish-black and crisp white/off-white. The dark bands are wider than the light bands.

Densely interlocked pennaceous barbs on the majority of the vane for flight rigidity, with plumulaceous (downy) barbs at the base near the calamus.

Relatively stiff and coarse; the surface is matte on the white bands and slightly glossy on the dark bands. Durable and rigid vane.

Bold black-and-white barring, extreme asymmetry of the vane, and a thick, heavy calamus typical of large ground-dwelling birds.

Open woodlands, mature forests with interspersed clearings, edges of agricultural fields, and brushy grasslands.

Common throughout much of North America, from southern Canada through the United States to central Mexico. Non-migratory.

Omnivorous foragers that disperse seeds and control insect populations; they serve as a primary prey species for many large predators.

Can be confused with Barred Owl feathers, but owl feathers have a soft, 'velvety' fringe for silent flight, whereas turkey feathers are stiff and noisy.

Wild Turkeys were nearly hunted to extinction by the early 20th century but have undergone one of the most successful wildlife restoration efforts in history.

Excellent condition; the barbs are well-zipped (intact), showing little wear or fraying. No visible fault bars or parasite damage.