Wild Turkeys!

We have a group of wild turkeys that have lived in our backyard for a few months. I'm going to be eating a member of this species tomorrow, so it's fitting to study them up close for a moment. Here they are one day perched on the railing of my back deck:



First of all, they're obviously social animals. These five have now somehow dwindled to four since this picture was taken (I can only imagine that a car or a coyote was involved), but they still walk my backyard as a tight team.

Secondly, they can apparently fly, at least short distances. My deck, where you see them perched, is fifteen feet above the ground.

So, I like these guys. And I'm especially going to the like the one rubbed with a dry brine in my refrigerator as we speak.