Wild Turkey (female)

Description:

The Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) is native to North America and is the heaviest member of the diverse Galliformes. Adult wild turkeys have long reddish-yellow to grayish-green legs. The body feathers are generally blackish and dark brown overall with a coppery sheen that becomes more complex in adult males. This beautiful hen (I don't see any hint of a beard and I think it's too early for a poult to be this size) was not very concerned at me stopping to take pictures while she grazed in the grass near office buildings and warehouses. I am so glad that the hints of red and blue on her feathers came out in the pictures. She was so pretty!

Habitat:

Wild turkeys prefer hardwood and mixed conifer-hardwood forests with scattered openings such as pastures, fields, orchards and seasonal marshes. This bird happened to be hanging out in front of the parking lot at an office/warehouse complex in Kennesaw, GA - although we are not far from kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield, there are many busy roads between us and what I would consider turkey habitat. (This bird did not seem to mind, though!)