Wild Turkey (Eastern Wild Turkey)

The Wild Turkey is a large, distinctive ground-dwelling bird known for its iridescent bronze plumage, bare bluish-red head, fan-shaped tail, and prominent beard-like bristle cluster on the chest of males. They are powerful runners and capable fliers for short distances, spending most of their time foraging on the ground for nuts, seeds, and insects.

Dark greyish-brown to blackish coloration with a distinctive velvety black terminal band and a pale greyish-buff tip, melanin-based pigmentation typical of wild turkey body plumage

Pennaceous upper vane with tightly interlocked barbs transitioning smoothly into a plumulaceous (fluffy, downy) base with well-developed barbicels and a prominent afterfeather

Smooth and firm pennaceous tip with a soft, silky, downy base, matte finish with no iridescence

Broad rounded contour shape, extensive plumulaceous base with afterfeather, robust pale rachis, and dark brownish-grey coloration with a subtle dark subterminal band and lighter tip

Open hardwood and mixed conifer-hardwood forests with scattered clearings, agricultural fields, and mature woodlands adjacent to water sources

Native across North America, ranging from wooded regions of southern Canada throughout the United States down to central Mexico, successfully introduced in various other regions

Acts as both predator and prey within the forest ecosystem, consuming large quantities of insects, seeds, and acorns while serving as prey for large raptors and mammalian predators

Domestic turkey variants, Grouse species, and large pheasant body feathers, distinguished primarily by size, exact shade of brown, and the specific banding pattern at the feather tip

Wild Turkeys can fly at speeds up to 55 mph for short bursts and can run at speeds up to 25 mph. They have excellent vision and hearing, and males can inflate their bodies and fan their tails in elaborate courtship displays known as strutting.

Good condition, fresh appearance with intact barbs and a clean calamus, minor wear at the extreme tip