While many residents enjoyed a turkey dinner as part of their recent holiday celebrations, this wild turkey was part of a flock seen foraging recently near Benezette.

According to the website for the Pennsylvania Game Commission, "several theories explain how the bird got its name. Early naturalists may have confused it with a species of Old World guinea fowl found in Turkey. Or the word may describe one of the bird's calls, which sounds a bit like 'turk, turk, turk.' Still a third explanation is that the word sprang from an American Indian name for the bird. 'firkee.'"

A turkey's diet varies depending upon the season. During the winter they typically eat any nuts or seeds they are able to find as well as plants and larvae found near spring seeps.

Photo by Polaski