Turkeys have between 5,000 and 6,000 feathers. Tail feathers have the same length in adults, different lengths in juveniles. Males typically have a "beard" consisting of modified feathers that stick out from the breast. Beards average 9 inches (230 mm) in length. In some populations, 10 to 20 percent of females have a beard, usually shorter and thinner than that of the male. The adult male normally weighs from 5 to 11 kg (11-24 lbs) and measures 100-125 cm (39-49 in). The adult female is typically much smaller at 3 to 5.4 kg (6.6-12 lbs) and are 76 to 95 cm (30-37 in) long. The wingspan ranges from 1.25 to 1.44 m (49-57 in). The record-sized adult male wild turkey, according to the National Wildlife Turkey Federation, was 38 lb (17.2 kg).

Wild Turkeys are surprisingly agile fliers and very cunning, unlike their domestic counterparts. Turkeys are very cautious birds and will fly or run at the first sign of danger. In flight they can reach a speed of 50 miles per hour (80 km/h). They usually fly close to the ground for no more than a quarter mile (400 m). Turkeys have many vocalizations: "gobbles," "clucks," "putts," "purrs," "yelps," "cutts," "whines," "cackles," and "kee-kees." In early spring, male turkeys, also called gobblers or toms, gobble to announce their presence to females and competing males. The gobble can carry for up to a mile. Males also emit a low-pitched drumming sound. Hens "yelp" to let gobblers know their location. Gobblers often yelp in the manner of females, and hens can gobble, though they rarely do so. Immature males, called jakes, yelp often. Wild Turkey hunting in the United States and Mexico is a multi-million dollar industry. Hunting in the spring consists of calling a tom "male turkey" using hen calls because turkeys mate in the spring depending upon the area and subspecies. Fall turkey hunting consists of breaking up a flock and calling them back together using "clucks" or "kee kee" vocalizations that the Wild Turkey makes. The most common weapon used for hunting turkeys is a semiautomatic or pump 16-12 gauge shotgun but some use a muzzeloader or even a compound bow for the ultimate challenge. Turkeys have amazing eyesight and are very stealthy so they are a hard animal to hunt especially in heavily hunted areas as the birds "wise up" extremely fast.

Wild Turkeys are omnivorous, foraging on the ground or climbing shrubs and small trees to feed. They prefer eating hard mast such as acorns and nuts of various trees, including hazel, chestnut, hickory, and pinyon pine as well as various seeds, berries such as juniper and bearberry, roots and insects. Turkeys are also known to occasionally consume small vertebrates like snakes, frogs or salamanders. Poults have been observed eating insects, berries, and seeds. Wild turkeys often feed in cow pastures. They sometimes visit backyard bird feeders to search for seed on the ground. Turkeys are also known to eat a wide variety of grasses. Moreover, around 80% of a turkeys diet is made up of grass.

Turkey populations can reach large numbers in small areas because of their ability to forage for different types of food. Early morning and late afternoon are the desired times for eating.