ColorNest
Wild turkeys are native to North America and were an important food source for Indigenous peoples long before European colonization. Male turkeys, called toms, fan out their tail feathers in a dramatic display to attract females during mating season — each individual feather can be up to 15 inches long. Benjamin Franklin famously thought the turkey would have been a better national bird for the United States than the bald eagle, calling it a more respectable bird.
Coloring ideas: each tail feather can be a different color — try warm reds, oranges, golds, and deep greens for a natural look. The eye-shaped tips of the feathers can be given a dark outline with a lighter center to make them pop. Color the turkey's body a rich brown or coppery orange. The small oval markings on each feather look great in alternating colors of your choice.
For younger kids, start with the large body shape and color each feather one solid color. Older kids can challenge themselves to give each of the many individual feathers its own unique color pattern, creating a spectacular rainbow fan.
