Birdland: Gobble Gobble

It’s hard to tell from the neck up, but Wild Turkeys are big and plump — one of the largest birds in North America. They were once hunted out of large parts of their range, but thanks to reintroduction efforts they are numerous once again. Wild Turkeys live in forested and fielded areas, particularly where nut trees grow. In Denver, flocks of Wild Turkeys can sometimes be spotted scuttling along bike trails near the Platte River or Cherry Creek, delighting passersby. This female Wild Turkey was photographed at Bluff Lake Nature Reserve east of Park Hill by Mark Silverstein.