The Wild Turkey: A Fascinating Fowl
Story by Christine Sudell; photographs by Pamela Cohen
Morning on Kiawah is a magical time. As the first rays of sun sparkle on the water and penetrate the maritime forest, many of the creatures that share our island paradise begin to stir. Among these early risers are the wild turkeys, and the best time to spot these fascinating fowl is while they breakfast. Look for them foraging on the ground in open areas, paths, and even roadsides. But when you do, don’ t expect to see birds just like those that end up browned and stuffed on our Thanksgiving tables.
The centerpiece of our Thanksgiving feast developed from wild turkeys domesticated in the Americas by the Aztecs and taken home by returning Spanish explorers in the early sixteen hundreds. During the ensuing century, the species spread so rapidly throughout Europe that early settlers brought them back to America as livestock. Eventually crossbred with several subspecies of North American wild turkeys, they are the forebears of today’ s variety of domestic turkeys.
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