| The magnificent Wild Turkey was considered to be so intelligent that Benjamin Franklin proposed it as the United States' national bird. Their population once plummeted due to wanton hunting, but the efforts of conservationists and conscientious sportsmen resulted in a remarkable rebound, and the species is now almost abundant throughout much of the nation. For several years there was even a Wild Turkey subsisting on handouts in Inwood Hill Park, in northern Manhattan! The bird pictured below was quite accustomed to human presence, and foraged quite openly in Arizona's Ramsey Canyon Preserve. |
| The birds pictured below were part of a flock of about a dozen birds that were scurrying up a hill in the Valle Grande in northern New Mexico in August of 2004. My understanding is that Wild Turkey were introduced to the area for game-hunting purposes some years ago, but they certainly seem to fit nicely into the landscape. |
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