Yesterday I was thrilled to get a glimpse of this impressive-looking Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. I have seen Wild Turkeys at this refuge on numerous occasions, but this is one of the first images that I have been able to capture this spring.
I am always amazed when I come upon a male turkey displaying his feathers. I grew up in the suburbs of Boston and the only turkeys that I ever saw were those in the freezer at the supermarket, which did not look anything like this bird, and the cutout figures that we would pin to the wall to celebrate Thanksgiving. Somehow I always thought those cutouts were cartoonish caricatures—little did I know that wild turkeys actually look like those colorful figures.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
We get stopped periodically by wild turkeys crossing the road. They take it nice and slow, but they’re fun to watch.
I’ve never been able to capture the brilliant iridescence of the feathers or the face and waddle of the male turkeys. When the males displayed in the cul-du-sac where we lived in NJ, the feathers rattleled on the street. It was similar to a Native Indian dance with twists and turns and rattles!!! They are here in Florida but haven’t seen them this year yet.
There was a lot of light behind the turkey, so I had to adjust the photo after I took it. I am glad that I was able to capture as much detail as I did. I love seeing the turkeys, especially when they display the feathers like this. It sounds funny to me to hear of turkeys in NJ–I tend to think of NJ as a vast urban jungle.
All of my encounters with wild turkeys so far have resulted in a stand off that the birds have won. I have found them to be assertive to the point of aggression. It has given me an understanding of why my Dad has a phobia of turkeys.
I enjoyed your comment, Laura, though I must confess that I have never seen a turkey that was aggressive in the slightest. Most of the time if they sense my presence, turkey will simply hurry off into the undergrowth.
Ha! There must be something particular about me that triggers them then.
Perhaps my turkeys are a bit wilder and yours have the more hardened attitude of a city dweller. 🙂
They are surely impressive when displaying. It’s the US’ quieter version of a peacock. 😉
I love the comparison, Eliza, which seems quite apt.
They say they taste more like wild game than store turkey.
I can’t say for sure what wild turkey tastes like–the only Wild Turkey I have tasted came in a bottle and was distilled in Kentucky. 🙂