The only difference between the wild turkeys in our photo today and the domestic turkeys many of us are preparing for the Thanksgiving meal is that domestic turkeys are raised on farms. Scientifically speaking, they’re the same species. The wild turkeys—like these two in Winter, Wisconsin—demonstrate how incredible these birds are in their natural environment. Adult turkeys have some 5,000 to 6,000 feathers, which work kind of like cat whiskers, helping the birds sense their environment. It’s the tom turkeys who have these large tail feather displays—they use them to attract hens. Wild turkeys don"t fly far and don"t migrate, but they are agile and can cover short distances quickly. They’re also highly adaptable to new environments, ranging throughout Mexico (where they originated) and the contiguous United States, and into several Canadian provinces as well.
Wild turkeys in repose
Today in History
More Desktop Wallpapers:
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Earth seen from the International Space Station
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European hedgehog in Sussex, England
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South Stack Lighthouse, Holy Island, Wales
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National Llama Day
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Burrowing owls
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Make your way up a picturesque passageway of Chefchaouen
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Giants of the avian world
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A wonderland in winter
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Zion National Park Turns 100
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Presidents Day
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Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act marks 42 years
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Horsetail Fall, Yosemite National Park, California
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The snows of Fuji
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Cranborne Chase, England
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Celebrating Mexico in a Cultural Capital
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Zion National Park turns 103
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A cliff-hanging complex of temples
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‘Fringe’ takes center stage as Edinburgh celebrates the arts
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A narrow passage
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Val Gardena, South Tyrol, Dolomites, Italy
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International Geodiversity Day
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White Sands National Park turns 90
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The Girl Scouts celebrate 110 years
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Misool Island, Indonesia
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One giant leap for penguins
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Midsummer in Sweden
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Haaga Rhododendron Park
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International Sloth Day
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3,000 years of history
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Things are looking up