Illumination in the Flatwoods

Turkeys, Joe Hutto writes, have gotten a bad rap for being, well, stupid creatures. In his account of a year spent studying a flock of wild turkeys in the loblolly pine woods of Florida, he aims to improve their reputation. They are, he notes, masters of disguise, blending in with their surroundings in ways so subtle as to make the work of predators--especially human hunters--difficult. And, he writes, they are "curious to a fault, want a working understanding of every aspect of their surroundings, and their memory is impeccable." His affectionate portrait may not convince English speakers to stop calling each other turkeys, but it will make welcome reading for birders and wildfowl enthusiasts.