When Benjamin Franklin lobbied the Continental Congress to choose the wild turkey as the nation's symbol, he cited the bird's courage and cleverness. It was one of the few truly American birds, he argued, a great symbol of our nation's autonomy. Unfortunately, he lost out and so did the turkey.

 

Today there are seven subspecies of wild turkey that roam fields and forest from Mexico to Canada and nearly the entire breadth of the United States, but just a century ago the wild turkey was on the brink of extinction. 

 

It was the passing of Pittman-Robertson Act (also known as the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act) in 1937 that turned things around. This law, which requires hunters to pay a tax on guns and ammunition, helps protect the same species that are being exploited. The act is still in effect today, funding programs that preserve and restore natural habitats, protect wildlife and educate the public on the value of land management. 

 

In Illinois the wild turkey is now thriving once again, thanks to the combined efforts of conservationists and hunters. In 1956 the State of Illinois began a program to reintroduce the birds, eventually releasing 65 wild-trapped turkeys into the Shawnee National Forest. Since then, additional birds have been released throughout the state.

 

Continued stewardship of our turkey populations is still needed, however, and programs like Operation Oak, sponsored by the Illinois National Wild Turkey Federation in conjunction with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and the Southwestern Illinois Rural Conservation and Development Office, are helping to ensure that turkeys continue to thrive. Operation Oak provides free oak seedlings to private landowners throughout the state, helping to reforest developed lands and giving turkeys new places to roam. 

 

In less than a century the wild turkey has been brought back from the brink of extinction and, thanks to the continued efforts of hunters and conservationists alike, its future looks bright. So this holiday season, as you sit down to a plate of roasted turkey (or tofurkey), take a moment to give thanks for the survival of this, the most American of birds. 

• Bearded ladies: Most male turkeys grow a nine-inch tuft of feather-like filaments from their chest called a beard. Embarrassingly, 10 to 20 percent of lady turkeys do the same.
• Fleet footed: Turkeys can run at speeds up to 35 mph on the ground and can fly even faster, reaching speeds of up to 55 mph when airborne.
• Mother hens: Turkeys lay their eggs in the spring, producing an average of one egg per day over a ten day period. The female gently turns the eggs in her nest, ensuring that each one gets equal warmth.
• Hungry mouths: Baby turkeys, called poults, leave their nests within a day or two of hatching and begin searching for food. While these little guys prefer seeds and berries, adult turkeys are less picky, occasionally even munching on a frog or snake.
• Taking to the trees: Unlike their domesticated counterparts, wild turkeys are good fliers, preferring to spend their evenings roosting in the safety of the trees. During the day, however, they like to the roam the open ground of fields and valleys.
• By the numbers: Today there are around 140,000 wild turkeys in Illinois, all of the eastern variety.
• A rose by any other name: The scientific name for the American wild turkey is Meleagris gallopavo, which comes from an early case of mistaken identity. The first European settlers in America mistook our turkeys for guinea fowl and gave them the Latin name for such: Meleagris. The common name "turkey" may actually come from the country of Turkey, from which most guinea fowl were imported.
• Rare birds: There are only two species of turkey in the world, both of which are native to North America. Meleagris gallopavo, which has seven subspecies, is now common throughout northern Mexico and the continental United States. The second species, Meleagris ocellata, is found only in the Yucatan peninsula of Mexico.
• Birds of a feather: Unlike most birds, which congregate in flocks, a group of turkeys is called a rafter.
• Talking turkey: Think you've got what it takes to gobble like a turkey? Give it a shot at the Illinois State Turkey Calling Championships, scheduled for February 2010, in Bloomington, Ill. Need some inspiration? Click here to hear the real thing.