Beauty and The Feast by Randy McGovern

Beauty and The Feast

Beauty and The Feast
Wild Turkeys
by Randy McGovern
10¼ " by 6¾"
Framed Size 20¼ " by 16¾"

Conservation Framed Prints
Each double mat may vary from print to print according to which frame you choose. If you would like to
have a particular color of mat just email sales@watsonswildlife.com to place your order. The best matching color is used for
each individual print and is not always the color shown here.

Each print is framed using Conservation Acid Free & Lignin Free, Alkaline pH buffered matboard & backing.
In conservation framing, We use only Museum Quality materials and procedures that will have no adverse
effects on a piece of artwork and will protect the artwork from external damage.

Male Wild Turkeys have a dark, iridescent body. The flight feathers are black with brown stripes and are barred with white. M. gallopavo has red wattles, a caruncle, and a blackish breast tuft. The wattle comprises the fleshy lobes hanging down from the chin or throat. The caruncle is the wart-like projections of the skin attached to the upper part of the forehead. The legs are spurred and spurs can grow as long as 3.175 centimeters. The leg scales are pink, pinkish gray, or silver gray. The head of the adult gobbler (male) is red, blue, or white depending on the bird's emotional status and on the season. Female M. gallopavo are smaller and duller than males, and lack a breast tuft. Females also have a grayish head and the back of the neck is feathered.

Male gobblers can range anywhere from 28.7-55.11 kilograms. Hens are usually smaller and weigh in between 16.53-26.45 kilograms. However, weight varies considerably depending on the time of year and resource availability.

The life span of Wild Turkeys varies from 5-12 years depending on subspecies
M. gallopavo forage mostly on the ground for seeds, nuts, acorns, buds, berries and insects. Wild Turkeys usually forage during daylight hours, but are sometimes on the ground looking for food shortly before dawn.

During the spring, males will fan out their tails, strut and gobble in an attempt to attract and hold a harem of females. The call of the male Wild Turkey (also called a gobble) can be heard a 1.61 kilometers away. The Wild Turkey is polygamous, therefore one male will attempt to mate with several females. Eggs are laid two to three weeks after copulation. The hen usually nests on the ground in a depression, and the nest is usually surrounded by dense brush, vines, tangles, deep grass, or fallen tree tops. The nest contains 8-15 eggs. The incubation period is 28 days.

By day M. gallopavo can be seen grazing in fields and woodlands. At night M. gallopavo roosts in trees. The Wild Turkey is a very wary bird with keen eyesight and hearing. It is also a swift runner and one of the fastest flying game birds alive. A turkey has been recorded flying 88.5 kilometers per hour. In the fall, M. gallopavo flock with several males accompanying several females. There is no calling (unless the flock gets broken up) and there are no displays similar to those seen in the spring. The main objective is to gather enough fat reserves for the winter.

Habitats preferred by Wild Turkeys include mixed coniferous and deciduous forests. Agricultural fields, orchards, and seasonal marshes are also locations favored by M. gallopavo .

M. gallopavo is one of the most popular game birds to hunt in the United States. Turkey hunting brings millions of dollars to states' Department of Natural Resources, public, and private organizations. Turkey hunting enhances conservation efforts by preserving habitat and creating selective hunting seasons to ensure healthy population numbers. There are numerous organizations that want to keep the Wild Turkey plentiful in many regions of the country.

The Wild Turkey is plentiful and is not endangered or threatened. In fact, many states are starting to introduce M. gallopavo into previously uninhabited areas to increase its range and distribution.

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