This week is all about giving thanks. We are thankful for many things, including the recovery of the wild turkey! This popular game bird was on the verge of extinction in the early 1930's. Thankfully, due to conservation efforts the turkey is widely abundant and is thriving in North America.

There are five different subspecies of wild turkey: Eastern, Merriam's Gould's, Osceola, and Rio Grande which are all found throughout the United States. The Eastern subspecies is the largest and most common with over 5.3 million turkeys abounding within its range.

Wild turkeys require wide open spaces for mating and foraging and forested areas for protection from predators and roosting at night. Habitat loss was one of the main reasons that the bird's populations were in decline since habitat is so essential for its survival. However, thanks to Pittman-Robertson Act of 1937, wildlife restoration programs are in place.

Wild turkey males, called tom or gobbler, can weigh more than twenty pounds and reach up to four feet tall! Mature females are slightly smaller only weighing in at about eight to 12 pounds. One of the most distinguishing features is it's huge amount of feathers: between 5,000 and 6,000 on an adult. The tail feathers in particular have been regarded by many eastern Indian tribes as powerful medicine and symbols of wisdom. While the males are typically colorful and iridescent, the females are much more muted to blend in with their surroundings.

Thankfully the turkey has been recovered and is now in abundance in the United States. Although the species of turkey most of us will enjoy on Thanksgiving is not a wild turkey, we can still enjoy our feast with minimal guilt about the peril of a declining species.

Have a great Thanksgiving!

Learn more about the National Wildlife Refuge Association at: http://refugeassociation.org/