Wild Turkey (Eastern Wild Turkey)

The Wild Turkey is a large, distinctive North American game bird renowned for its dramatic fan-shaped tail, bare blue-and-red head, and iridescent bronze plumage. Males, or gobblers, are substantially larger than females and possess a fleshy snood, wattle, and a bristly chest appendage known as a beard. They are strong runners and capable flyers over short distances, often roosting high in trees at night.

Rich earthy brown and bronze tones with distinct dark brown or black transverse bars and a pale buff or whitish subterminal band ending in a dark tip, showing characteristic metallic copper and green iridescence under direct light

Pennaceous at the distal end with tightly interlocked barbs and functional barbicels, transitioning to a loose, fluffy plumulaceous structure with downy barbs at the proximal base; intact and clean condition

Smooth and firm at the upper pennaceous portion, soft and fluffy at the base; matte finish with subtle iridescent sheen across the banded sections

Distinctive transverse dark brown barring on a rich bronze-brown background, rounded tip, and a soft downy basal section with strong metallic iridescence

Mixed hardwood and pine forests interspersed with clearings, fields, pastures, and agricultural lands, often near water sources

Native to North America, widely distributed across the United States, parts of southern Canada, and Mexico, introduced to various other regions globally

Serves as an important omnivorous seed and insect consumer, plays a role in seed dispersal, and acts as a vital food source for large mammalian and avian predators

Domestic turkey variants, though wild turkey feathers maintain distinct natural barring and coloration compared to white or heavily mutated domestic breeds; ruffed grouse feathers are much smaller.

Wild turkeys have excellent vision and hearing. They can run at speeds up to 25 mph and fly at speeds up to 55 mph for short bursts. Benjamin Franklin famously praised the turkey as a respected native American bird, though the myth that he wanted it as the national symbol is incorrect.

Good condition, well-preserved with intact barbs, clean rachis, and no significant wear, fraying, or parasitic damage