Turkey Perched on a Fence Rail Coloring Page

A turkey balances on the top rail of a farm fence, tail fanned, head turned to one side and both feet gripping the timber. The fence runs the full width of the page on three posts with a second rail below, and short tufts of grass sprout along the ground beneath it. Above the bird there is nothing but empty paper.

Wood grain is the lesson on this sheet. The rails already carry a few long lines, and following them with two close browns, a lighter one dragged along the length and a darker one only in the grooves, will make flat shapes look like sawn timber. It is a technique that transfers to every barn, gate and tree trunk a child colors afterward. Save the brightest color for the turkey so it stands clear of all that brown.

Farm turkeys perch by instinct. Even heavy commercial breeds that can no longer fly will climb onto anything raised off the ground to sleep, which is why keepers put low roosting bars in their houses. The instinct outlasted the ability to act on it.