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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Poinsettia Day
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World Maritime Day
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My my, it s Syttende Mai
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A star is borne by seaweed
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Take a hike near Lovers Lane
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The moon rises for Mid-Autumn Festival
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For the love of bikes
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Happy Birthday, J.R.R. Tolkien!
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Once in a pink moon
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Monet still makes an impression
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Wyoming celebrates its statehood
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Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia
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Birch trees, Drammen, Norway
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Dusky eagle-owls, Pakistan
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International Womens Day
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Wild and Scenic Rivers Act
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Virgin Islands National Park established
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Mysterious prairie mounds abound
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Old underground cellar, Bavaria, Germany
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A peak in the clouds
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Groovy!
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Traffic jam on the caribou highway
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An icy extravaganza
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Okavango Delta, Botswana
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Spring equinox
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Ice and Snow Sailing World Championships
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D-Day remembered
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A rest stop for the birds
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Digging the birds
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Tegallalang terrace farms in Ubud, Bali, Indonesia