12/1/2020 | This resource was created by Joanne Vogel and Kate Reilly.
“Wild is the music of the autumnal winds amongst the faded woods.” - William Wordsworth
Fall is a perfect time to get outside and we hope that our November articles will inspire your next open-air explorations and prompt your further investigations. This is a busy time for nature, and we will highlight just a few of the happenings that occur above our heads, on ground level, and even beneath our feet as the displays of color, beauty and activities contribute to the concert of autumnal abundance.
When it comes to absurd looking birds, few surpass the eastern wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo). The adult males, called gobblers or toms, have all kinds of unique physical attributes to attract females (hens). When combined with their ostentatious plumage, wild gobbling, and strutting displays, tom turkeys simply can’t be ignored. Learners will familiarize themselves with two species of wild turkey - the American wild turkey and the ocellated wild turkey, the latter hailing from Central America.
Cover image credits:
"Wild Turkey Courtship Display" by Mark Gunn CC BY 2.0