Creature Feature

Long before the Pilgrims arrived on the Mayflower, turkeys roamed the New World. They were smaller than the scientifically bred turkeys that grace our holiday tables today, but the settlers recognized a good thing when they ate it!

Merriam's wild turkeys are native to the forests of Arizona, New Mexico, and California. Toms weigh up to 16 pounds and have a featherless blue neck with with a red wattle of loose skin extending from the lower jaw. Hens weigh in at 10 pounds and lack the wattle.

These birds live in flocks and rest in trees at night. As their natural habitats have shrunk, so have their numbers. The good news is that wild turkeys have been reintroduced into many areas. To take a gander at a wild turkey, visit the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum in Tucson.