It looks much like the other subspecies of wild turkey living in the US and is actually close to the same body size as the Florida turkey, but has exceptionally long legs for a bird its size. The Rio Grande turkeys are more pale than Eastern turkeys and have more copper to their feather iridescence. The main distinguishing trait of theirs is the light colored tips to their tail feathers, which is easily seen when the turkey is fanning it’s tail and strutting for a mate. The light colored tips can be white or yellow, even very light brown, but the tips are always lighter than the tips of tail feathers found on other turkey species.

Females, call hens, are close to the same size as the males, called gobblers or toms, and pretty close to the same color as well only less shine and iridescence is found in their feathers. Hens will grow to be about 10 pounds while a male will grow to be 20 pounds.

The Rio Grande turkey lives in low lying brush thickets near rivers or streams, and also in scrub oak and pine forests. It has been found in areas that were over a mile above sea level and it usually prefers areas that are wide open as opposed to other species of turkey that prefer wooded areas.

Rios will roost in the tallest tree they can get to that is near a stream or that which may be in a deep valley for a winter season. Gobblers will tend to use the same roost location year round. If roost trees are not available, the Rios will stay on man-made structure like telephone or power poles.

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The feathers on the Florida turkey are much more bright in color than the eastern, displaying a lot more iridescent green, blue, purple, and red. The tail is darker and the tips of the feathers is brown, like an eastern and unlike that of a Rio Grande or Merriam’s. It’s coloration and habits make it an ideal survivor in the pine forests, swamps, and bogs that cover much of Florida. Mature females called hens, have a similar appearance to males but have a duller appearance with less iridescence and are generally lighter in coloration overall, but with dark wing feathers.

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Merriam’s can be found in some areas that are threatening their numbers due to deforestation, human and urban development, and overgrazing by livestock. Male Merriam’s have white feathers on the bottom half of their back and edges to their tail feathers, a couple of traits that separate them greatly from the eastern, Rio Grand, and Floria subspecies. Merriam’s look a lot like a Gould’s turkey with the exception that the tips of its tail feathers are not as bright white and the light back patch is not as large.

In terms of size, it is very similar to the eastern turkey except it appears to be darker in overall appearance displaying lots of blues, purples, and bronze colorations in the light. The Merriam’s has a light colored patch on its hind end that is either white or light pink and has white tips to its tail feathers. The males have dark feathers covering their breast area while the females have lightly colored tips to their breast feathers. The wing feathers on a female have more white as well which is more noticeable when the wings are folded up next to the body.

Females to not have the brightly colored flesh that hangs off the face of a male, instead her head is covered with dark feathers from her neck to the top of her head. Males will grow spurs on the backs of their feet and a narrow beard from their chest. Females may grow a small beard or small, rounded spurs as well.

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The further north wild turkeys are found, generally the larger the bird, and since the eastern wild turkey has the greatest range it is usually considered the largest of the subspecies. Adult males, called a tom or gobbler because of the call they make, can grow to be almost 4 feet tall when standing and weigh in excess of 20lbs. The tips of it’s tail, which it fans out when attracting a mate, are golden bronze in color and will contrast with other parts of the tail feathers which are chestnut brown with dark barring. The breast feathers are gray and black at the ends while other body feathers have an iridescence that makes them appear dark from a distance and shine metallic up close.

The main feathers on the wings have black and white bars that extend from the outside in to the main beam. The other wing feathers have more white on them when makes for a bit of a white patch that appears on the sides of the bird when the wings are folded up next to the body.

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Crayfish, insects, rodents, frogs, fish, and bird eggs are all possible components of a raccoon’s diet. Raccoons have adapted to include trash and other food available in suburban and urban areas in their diet. Some raccoons eat carrion from road killed animals. Raccoons travel in straight lines between their dens and rich food patches.