The Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) is one of
the two species of turkey. Adults have a small featherless bluish head, a
red throat, long reddish-orange legs and a dark body. The head has fleshy
growths called caruncles on them, and there is a flap of flesh on the bill
called a dewlap that can contract or expand as it is engourged with blood.
Males have red wattles on the throat and neck. Each foot has four toes on
it, and the males have spurs on the backs of their lower legs.
Turkeys have a long dark fan-shaped
tail, and their wings are a glossy bronze. Males feathers are also
iridescent red, green, copper, bronze and gold. Females feathers are a
duller brown and gray color. Turkeys have between 5,000-6,000 feathers.
All adults have tail feathers that are the same length, whereas the
juveniles do not. The males typically have a "beard" made of modified
feathers sticking out from the middle of their breast. The beard averages
9 inches long.
These photos and videos were filmed in Llano County,
Texas
November 28 2006.