Three days ago, while I was in northern Utah I found some jaywalking Wild Turkey hens near some ranchlands, which made me chuckle out loud.
Jaywalking Wild Turkey hen – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/1600, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
I had never thought about turkeys being jaywalkers before I saw these hens in the road. The toms I saw on the east side of the road seemed content to forage in the field. The hens were plucking something from the road surface but I couldn’t make out what it was they were finding. There might have been bugs or the turkeys might have been searching for small pieces of gritty sand or gravel.
I don’t know why the notion that these turkeys were jaywalking struck me but that thought made me giggle. There isn’t a crosswalk within sight or even dozens of miles from this location.
Jaywalking hen Wild Turkey – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/2000, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
The term “jaywalking” has nothing to do with jays. It has nothing to do with birds at all.
Jaywalking
In 1917, jay was a common slang word for hick, or, more kindly, a person inexperienced in the ways of the big city. Consequently, a jaywalker was somebody who was clueless about those newfangled traffic signals telling people when they could and couldn’t walk.
These turkeys aren’t in the city. They are way out in the country and the road just happens to cross through their habitat.
Maybe the road is the jaywalker.
I may never think of the word jaywalker again without recalling these turkeys.
Life is good.
Mia
Click here to see more of my Wild Turkey photos plus facts and information about this species.
Cool pic and your narrative about the history of the word ‘Jaywalking’ is really interesting. This will go directly into my folder entitled, ‘Things I never knew.’ It’s a BIG folder!!! Thanks Mia.
I’d be happy to stop and wait for the turkey to cross the road. 😉
“the road just happens to cross through their habitat.” Sad but true.
There were a big group of wild turkeys for a number of years in Emigration by the blue garage on the turn. They hung out by the abandoned partially built house and Utah Pioneer marker, often flowing into the middle of the road, not moving for traffic. My co-worker lived up the canyon and said the turkeys would cause a traffic jam every morning on her way to work.
Smiling. Thank you.
Fun photos , and always something to learn from posts. Thank you!
I look forward to opening my email and seeing your work each morning. Your work is inspiring.
Thank you