Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Galliformes
Family: Phasiananidae
Subfamily: Meleagridinae
Genus: Meleagris
Species: Gallopavo
When America was founded the leaders decided the nation needed a symbol. The emblem had to represent all that the young nation stood for and that was a tough role to fill. There were many different suggestions, but they decided June 20, 1782, to make it the bald eagle. On the Great Seal of the United States is a large bald eagle with an olive branch in his right talon and 13 arrows in his left talon. The olive branch represents peace and the arrows represent the willingness to go to war to protect the nation. In the beak of the eagle is a scroll that says, “E Pluribus Unum,” which means out of many, one.
Now the bald eagle is a symbol of strength and freedom. Benjamin Franklin, however, strongly disagreed with the choice of the eagle as the symbol for America. He thought there was a bird native to North America that could better represent the courage of the young nation. He wanted to see the wild turkey as America’s symbol.
Here are some facts about the wild turkey:
• It is native to the North America
• They are omnivores
• The average life span is 3 to 4 years
• They have wingspans of 4 to 5 feet
• They forage for food on forest floors and in swamps
• They prefer woodland areas for habitats
• Their distinct gobble can be heard for up to a mile away
