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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National Take a Hike Day
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American bison, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming
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A little bit of Wonderland in New York City
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Into the woods
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Presidents Day in America’s front yard
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Cloudy with a chance of enlightenment
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Victory in Europe, 75 years ago
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International Day for Monuments and Sites
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International Day of Forests
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An avian predator built for the snow
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National Napping Day
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Guilin and Lijiang River National Park, China
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Astronomy Day
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At the shore of an inland sea
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Celebrating all things Austen
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The mountaintop of toppled gods
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Signs of life in the Empty Quarter
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World Book Day
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Hollywood s big night
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Celebrating National Dentist Day
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National Love a Tree Day
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Hello, harbinger of spring
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Oktoberfest begins
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Welcome to the Year of the Pig
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A Bengal tiger in Ranthambore National Park, India
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Mountain goats at Glacier National Park in Montana
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Art Basel Miami Beach
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Swim city
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A palace for the public
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Welcome to the pack