Now, that's a gorgeous gobbler. Note his beard dragging the ground. He's definitely a mature male, although a small percentage of hens sport beards. There are so many interesting facts about turkeys. For instance, you can tell the difference in hens and gobblers by looking at their scat. I don't know why, but gobbler poop looks like a single line, usually "J" shaped, whereas hen poop will be a mound. Actually, the hen poop that I've seen looks like a piece of divinity candy with a chocolate chip on top. O.K., that's probably more that most people want to know.
Well, what about caruncles, wattles, and snoods? I'm sure we've all seen some people with wattles, so that should be self-explanatory, but just in case--those are the folds of skin underneath the neck. I pray Lord, don't give me wattles. Caruncles are those wartlike protuberances that are oh, so attractive.
In this photo, the snood is obvious. That's the fleshy, fingerlike extension growing down over the beak. Why? I just assume that God has a great sense of humor. Maybe the girls like them. I don't know.
Turkeys have no feathers on their head and neck. The skin changes color from red to bright blue, depending on the turkey's mood. Red would indicate a not-so-happy camper.
These are Eastern wild turkeys. There are five subspecies in North America--Eastern (by far the most abundant), Osceola, Rio Grande, Merriam's, and Gould's. In the 1930's the turkey population had diminished to the point where turkeys were considered endangered, but we now have over 7 million. 5 million of these are Easterns.
Boy, this guy really has a long snood. And, perhaps, he's feeling good about it (blue head). I'm always amazed at how big these birds are. The males are 3-4 feet long and weigh in around 20-30 pounds. The hens are slightly smaller.
They may look a little awkward, but don't let that fool you. They can run up to 25 mph and fly up to 45 mph. Yes, wild turkeys fly. They roost in trees and they don't climb ladders.
I am so fortunate to be able to watch these glorious creatures from my home. Last year, I was awakened on numerous mornings by gobblers calling out. Just this morning I saw and heard a hen clucking in my driveway. Living in the woods has some fantastic perks.
Thank you Mother Earth for providing me with such inspirational entertainment.
