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:
-
Iceland awaits the Yule Lads
-
An opulent backdrop for a historic event
-
Sunburst at Angkor
-
The mighty, mighty mushroom
-
Hey, who’s in charge here?
-
Visiting Ahch-To on Star Wars Day
-
Pasadena Chalk Festival supports local arts education
-
Old man s whiskers growing wild
-
It s Star Wars Day
-
Tour de France 2024 begins
-
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, California
-
Upper Geyser Basin, Yellowstone National Park
-
Forward-thinking women of history
-
Black History Month
-
Wedded Rocks, Japan
-
Saint Andrews Day
-
It’s surströmming time
-
Great Salt Lake Shorelands Preserve in Layton, Utah
-
Haaga Rhododendron Park
-
Look before you leap
-
Taking the scenic route
-
Lakeside serenity in Finland
-
Silvereyes in South Korea
-
National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day
-
Methoni Castle, Messenia, Greece
-
Group of giant cuttlefish, Whyalla, South Australia
-
‘Ocian in view! O! The joy.’
-
Falling for Tennessee
-
It s Tolkien Reading Day
-
International Museum Day