{"id":1797,"date":"2019-01-30T23:46:40","date_gmt":"2019-01-30T23:46:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.megforward.com\/birds\/?p=1797"},"modified":"2022-03-31T20:17:10","modified_gmt":"2022-03-31T20:17:10","slug":"wild-turkeys","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.megforward.com\/birds\/index.php\/2019\/01\/30\/wild-turkeys\/","title":{"rendered":"Wild Turkeys"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\n
\"\"
One tom and four hens grazing.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n

It was late January, when I jumped out of the car to photograph a large flock of wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo<\/em>). About 35 adult birds scratched and pecked at the grass between the road and a woodsy area. Then they crossed the road in front of my pulled-over car, heading into the forest on the other side. These birds were already beginning their courtship rituals.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"
“Tom” fluffing his feathers.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Fanning his tail, dragging wing tips on the ground.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Struting in front of females with tail fanned.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\n
\"\"
Note the “beard” sticking out from his chest.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Tom turning around.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

After the flock crossed the road, another tom puffed up and the two strutted around as the entire group drifted into the forest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"\"
Two strutting toms.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Competing for the hens’ attention.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The turkey’s unfeathered head has several distinctive features. The snood<\/em> is the flap of skin that hangs down over the bill. It changes in color, size, and shape based on the bird’s mood and activities. The wattle<\/em> is a skin flap reaching from the beak to the neck. Those bumps of flesh covering the necks and heads are called caruncles.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Snood, wattle and caruncles are deeply colored during strutting behavior.<\/strong> <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Later that day, I spotted another small flock of wild turkeys. This was composed entirely of juvenile males, called jakes.<\/em> Note that they each have a small beard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n