Tail feathers can be raised, at which time a colorful plumage fans out from the backside of this bird. The legs of the turkey are long and thin. These distinct characteristics make it easy to differentiate between the sexes. Domestic turkeys are generally much larger than their wild counterpart due mainly to feeding habits and medications of breeders. Domesticated turkeys are about twice the size of wild turkeys.
Wild turkeys live in heavily wooded areas near water.
In North America, the wild turkey exists in the eastern and southwestern regions of the United States and Mexico. Wild turkeys sleep or rest in large trees during the evening hours, where they remain largely unseen by predators. Wild turkeys are omnivorous, surviving on a diet of seeds, small insects, acorns, leaves, grains, berries, grass, roots, bulbs, frogs, lizards, snails and worms. This non-migratory bird wanders and scavenges for food, often scratching at ground leaves or dirt to expose food. The wild turkey can fly, if need be, but only for short distances.