Wild Turkeys

The Wild Turkey
A Beautiful Game Bird
The Bald Eagle is the United State's National Symbol but according to Benjamin Franklin, it should have been the Wild Turkey. The Bald Eagle would rather steal from other birds than hunt for its own meal. In Franklin's eyes, that represented poor moral fiber. On the other hand, while the Wild Turkey was a vain and silly bird, it had courage. If its territory is invaded, it wouldn't hesitate to attack.

Wild Turkeys in our Garden
It does not have to be Thanksgiving to be turkey time. It is turkey time all year round where we live by the Mission Peak Regional Preserve in Northern California. My first encounter with a wild turkey Mealeagris gallopavo was 7 years ago when a large bird flew over my head and startled me with the loud flapping sounds of its wings. It landed at the top of a tall fir tree in my backyard and roosted there for a while. At first, I thought it was a large bird of prey like an eagle or a hawk bec...

Wild Turkeys...Our Unusual Fall Visitors
Wild Turkeys in the Neighborhood
It's not Thanksgiving, but turkeys were abundant on our street today! I'm talking real life wild turkeys. They decided to pay us a fall visit, and it was very unusual for our part of town. They spent the morning foraging for food in our yards, and then left as suddenly as they appeared. I became a little intrigued and decided to learn a little more about these large birds. I began to look up some habits and characteristics of wild turkeys, and you will see the fruits of my labor below. Do...