With Thanksgiving close by I felt a few words about the wild turkey would be appropriate. Most of these are from Wikipedia, and the final ones are from wise old Ben Franklin. You are not urged to agree, but it is an interesting evaluation.
The Wild Turkey is native to North America. He is an omnivorous bird that forages on the ground and also climbs shrubs and small trees to eat. He eats nuts, berries, insects, small snakes, frogs, salamanders, and seeds. He eats a wide variety of grasses.
There are six subspecies of Wild Turkey. Eastern Wild Turkey were the ones the Pilgrims first saw. They cover the eastern half of the US. Osceola or Florida Turkey is just that. They are named for the famous Seminole Indian Chief, Osceola. They number from 80,000 to 100,000. Rio Grande Turkey are found through Oklahoma and Texas on to California and even in a few northeastern states. Merriam's is a Rocky Mountain Turkey. Gould's is in Arizona and New Mexico and down into Mexico. South Mexican, a domesticated southern Mexico sub-species with an interesting history.
It has long been known that Benjamin Franklin preferred the Wild Turkey to be our national bird over the Bald Eagle. In 1784 he wrote the following letter to his daughter:
" For my own part I wish the Bald Eagle had not been chosen the Representative of our Country. He is a bird of bad moral character. He does not get his living honestly. You may have seen him perched on some dead tree near the River, where, too lazy to fish for himself, he watches the labour of the Fishing Hawk; and when that diligent bird has at length taken a fish and is bearing it to his nest for the support of his mate and young ones, the Bald Eagle pursues him and takes it from him......For the truth the turkey is in comparison a much more respectable bird and withal a true original native of America. He is besides, though a little vain and silly, a bird of courage and would not hesitate to attack a Grenadier of the British Guards who should presume to invade his farm yard with a red coat on."
Benjamin Franklin wrote this letter to his daughter when the eagle, after six years of debate in Congress had been chosen the national bird.
We have made over the years the Eagle to be a dramatic and powerful bird, and a true representative of our great land. But hey, give a salute to the wild turkey! He is a noble bird as well.
