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november 2015
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SPOTLIGHT
Kenneth Padden Earns Eagle Scout Award
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PRESORTED STANDARD US POSTAGE PAID DANVILLE, CA PERMIT NO. 70
Congratulations to Eagle Scout Kenneth Padden, 18, of Danvilleâs Boy Scout Troop 1630. He has earned the highest advancement rank in Boy Scouts. As a See EAGLE page 4
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This beautiful gobbler is a sight to see with his full display of 5,000-6,000 feathers. The Wild Turkey population is strong in Contra Costa County and these large birds have gone from curiosity to nuisance in some neighborhoods. Damage from their foraging through gardens can be infuriating. Shooing them away and not feeding them can help. Photo by James Hale
Wild Turkeys are Here, and Very Comfortable in the âBurbs
By James Hale Although native to North America, the Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) is one of the most widely introduced wildlife species. It is thought that the turkey most likely got its name from the domesticated variety being imported to Britain in ships from the country Turkey. The absolutely phenomenal rate of Wild Turkey colonization of the woodlands of Contra Costa County has been amazing. Virtually every residence has been visited by Wild Turkeys. The introduction of Wild Turkeys by hunters in California began as early as 1877. I observed a flock of over 80 Wild Turkeys crossing Highway 4 at north Concord during the morning commute, and a flock of over 110 birds crossing Mines Road at Muriettaâs Well suggesting their adaptability to suburban environments.
The Wild Turkey is the largest game bird in North America, with the recordsized adult male, according to the National Wild Turkey Federation, weighing in at more than 37.1 pounds. Individuals weighing more than 30 pounds are not uncommon. The Wild Turkey has the second heaviest maximum weight of any wild North American bird. The Trumpeter Swan (Cygnus buccinator) holds the record at over 38 pounds. Adult Wild Turkeys have body feathers that are generally dark brown to blackish with a coppery sheen that becomes more complex in adult males. Adult males, known as toms or gobblers, are substantially larger than the females or hens. The feathers of males are highlighted with areas of red, purple,
green, copper, bronze, and gold iridescence. Males have a âbeardâ, a tuft of coarse hair or modified feathers growing from the center of the breast. Some âbeardsâ are more than 12 inches in length. Juvenile males, called jakes, have shorter beards. The dark, fan-shaped tail in adult males is accented with bronze, copper, and chestnut. During the breeding season, males have elaborate displays with their tail feathers spread to the maximum, and some fancy strutting to attract females. Wild Turkeys have 5,000 to 6,000 feathers. The featherless head is reddish, pink, and blue, with red wattles on the throat and neck, and fleshy growths called caruncles. The long fleshy growth over the males beak is called a snood, and becomes engorged with
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blood as the male gobbles to attract females to his harem. The gobbling may be heard a mile away. Males have a sharp spur behind each of their lower legs for offense and defense. Wild Turkeys prefer woodland habitats with trees for roosting and open grasslands for foraging and nesting. They seemingly adapt to virtually any dense plant community as long as coverage and openings are widely available. I observed one roost site in an oak woodland that had been used for several months by a flock of about 25 birds. The pyramid or volcano-shaped piles of guano (droppings) beneath each individual roost were almost 4 feet tall and 6 feet in diameter. See TURKEY page 7