The Wild Turkey

NOVEMBER IS THE TIME TO THINK OF TURKEYS, THOSE WONDERFUL ONES WE EAT AND THOSE ONE MIGHT BE LUCKY ENOUGH TO SEE IN THE WILD. 
 
 THE WILD TURKEY IS THE LARGEST OF THE UPLAND GAME BIRD SPECIES, IT IS A DARK BIRD WITH A NAKED, BLUISH HEAD. THE MALE OR TOM IS BROWNISH BLACK WITH AN IRIDESCENT SHEEN. THE WINGS HAVE BLACK AND WHITE BARRING. THE LONG TAIL HAS A WIDE, BLACK BAND NEAR THE END, WITH A TIP OF VARYING COLOR. THE TOM HAS FOLDS OF RED SKIN , CALLED WATTLES, UNDER THE CHIN; FLESHY , WARTLIKE CARUNCLES ON THE NECK; AND A FINGERLIKE SNOOD DANGLING BESIDE THE BILL. A 4 TO 10 INCH PROJECTION OF HAIRLIKE FEATHERS, CALLED A BEARD, EXTENDS FROM THE BREAST. 
 
 THE HEN IS SMALLER AND BROWNER THAN THE TOM , AND LACKS THE TOM'S HEAD ADORNMENTS. THE JUVENILE MALE, OR JAKE, AND THE JUVENILE FEMALE, OR JENNY, RESEMBLE HENS BY FALL, ALTHOUGH THEY HAVE A DULLER, OR MOTTLED COLOR. BUT AFTER THE FIRST YEAR, JAKES ARE LARGER THAN HENS, AND HAVE BEGUN TO DEVELOP A BEARD. 
 
 THERE ARE FIVE SUBSPECIES OF WILD TURKEY IN NORTH AMERICA AND TWO ARE FOUND IN TEXAS. ONE IS THE EASTERN WILD TURKEY WHICH IS FOUND THROUGHOUT MOST OR THE EASTERN UNITED STATES. IT HAS A COPPER-BRONZE SHEEN, AND ITS TAIL HAS A CHOCOLATE-BROWN TIP. THE OTHER WILD TURKEY FOUND IN TEXAS IS THE RIO GRANDE WILD TURKEY. IT IS AN OPEN-COUNTRY BIRD AND IT'S OVERALL BODY SHEEN IS A PALE COPPER, AND THE TAIL HAS A YELLOWISH TIP. 
 
 TOMS BEGIN THEIR BREEDING DISPLAYS IN EARLY SPRING WITH TAIL FANNED, FEATHERS FLUFFED AND WING TIPS DRAGGING, THE TOM STRUTS BOLDLY WHILE EMITING LOW-PITCHED HUMS. HE REPEATS THE DISPLAY, COUPLED WITH THE CHARACTERISTIC GOBBLE CALL UNTIL HE ATTRACTS A HEN. THE HENS SCRAPE A SHALLOW DEPRESSION , LINES IT WITH LEAVES AND TWIGS AND LAYS 8 TO 14 BUFF-COLORED EGGS. 
 
 THE POPULATION OF WILD TURKEYS IS INCREASING DUE TO RESTORATION EFFORTS BY WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AGENCIES, NORTH AMERICA HAS MORE WILD TURKEYS NOW THAN IT DID DURING PRESETTLEMENT DAYS.