I was so enamored by the smoke morph hen Wild Turkey I photographed in the west desert mountains two days ago I went back yesterday to see if I could find the same turkeys again. I found them and her but it was a different turkey in the same flock that turned out to be the star of the show.
1/1600, f/7.1, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
There were at least two adult toms in the flock but this dandy was obviously the cock of the walk. He appeared to be the larger of the two gobblers and he was definitely the most dominant. Once again most of the flock stayed buried in the junipers but this guy came out onto the dirt road and displayed for over ten minutes in warm morning light.
1/2000, f/7.1, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
When he was really into his performance he would pull his head back into his plumage and drop his wings even further. When that happened his wing primaries would be quivering.
1/2500, f/7.1, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
A side view showing off his beard.
1/2500, f/7.1, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
A head-on view.
1/2000, f/7.1, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
In this highly cropped photo we get a more detailed look at his naked and rather unique head and neck. That fleshy protuberance hanging down over his bill is called a snood. The snood can vary dramatically in size, shape and color and can be an indicator of a turkey’s gender, mood and behavior.
There’s much more about turkey snoods here if you have the interest.
1/2500, f/7.1, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
So one of the functions of his snood is to contribute to his dominance and sex appeal but in this shot I caught it looking pretty silly. He had flipped his head slightly and that sent his snood flying in a vertical direction, detracting significantly from his sex appeal I would think…
Competing males tend to defer to males with the longest snoods and females prefer to mate with long-snooded males.
So contrary to semi-popular belief, size matters. At least in Wild Turkeys.
Ron
Notes:
- Yes, the smoke morph hen was still in the flock but I only got a brief glimpse of her one time because she spent most of her time buried in the junipers.
- Some of these photos are a little tight on the bird because I was a little too close with my teleconverter attached.
- I couldn’t believe my luck. In ten minutes I took 406 shots of this handsome guy out in the open while he was displaying in great morning light and another vehicle didn’t come by and ruin it all. How in the hell did that happen?
That commentary got a laugh out of me. He is really strutting his stuff. I am wondering if that is where the term “turkey trot” comes from. Great close-ups of the colours
Thank you, Jane.
I’ve seen wild turkeys here in New Jersey but never displaying like this. Last week I encountered a bird photographer who showed me a photo of two toms in full display mode. When I mentioned that I had never seen such a display, much less photographed it, he told me that he’s also a hunter and he has a call that mimics the sound of a female turkey and induces the males to display. I immediately thought of your blog, in which you’re always careful to mention that the birds you photography are never baited or called in.
Steve, hunters call turkeys in and (some) photographers call them in too. It’s just a fact of life I guess. Rest assured, these turkeys weren’t called in. Or baited.
What beautiful shots and what a fun series.
And educational too, as always.
I never knew snood, now I do and I feel more ready to face the world.
But not closer than six feet away.
It does sound a little like it could be contagious…
Excellent images! The head-on view in #4 is my favorite. It shows off the overlapping rows and groups of feathers in its plumage very nicely. I hadn’t ever noticed a turkey ‘beard’ before. While I knew a little about the snoud, I learned some new interesting facts. Thanks.
Thanks, Steve. I like the way all the chest feathers seem to point to where the beard is attached in that shot.
Every photo is a stunner. This bird is both magnificently beautiful and butt ugly at once. The frontal view beats any human model I’ve ever seen coming down the runway. Snoods, beards and wattles. Oh, my.
“This bird is both magnificently beautiful and butt ugly at once”
OK I’ll give you that, Lyle. I’ll just concentrate on the former…
‘another vehicle didn’t come by and ruin it all. How in the hell did that happen?’
Here (if only we had Wild Turkeys) it would happen because of the dread disease. We are ALL being strongly enouraged to not go out. A little exercise is fine, but sitting on a park bench is not.
He is an absolute beauty and my partner would have envious thoughts about the length of that beard.
And yes, I also wondered whether he is a smoke gene carrier.
“I also wondered whether he is a smoke gene carrier”
I sure wouldn’t be surprised, EC. I’ve looked for other smoke morphs in that flock but haven’t spotted any.
As a bird biologist, there is no bird that does not have some beauty and fascination for me. But, I must admit that it has become harder to find that appeal in Wild Turkeys than it used to be. Wild Turkeys are not native to Oregon and in the 1970s I knew of only one place near me where I might find them if I was very lucky. Now, they have become a pest in many communities here. I just moved across town and now am in a more typical suburban neighborhood and I am told they are even here, but where I lived in the south hills, I had 20-70 Wild Turkeys passing through my yard severa times each day. They roosted in the high conifers over the house and lit with a loud thud on our roof in the morning (and can cause some damage). Three to five toms were often in full display at one time right outside our window and if I was standing outside, they often did so within inches of me and paid no attention to me at all. A full frame head shot could easily be obtained with just an 85mm lens. They still have beauty, it’s just harder to find. They are not domesticated but they have lost all fear of people and human habitations (except yard with large dogs). Seeing one is no big deal, but they do have some fascinating biology..
In your situation I might feel the same way, Dan.
Ron,
Great shots. Interesting comments. Thanks again.
Stephen
Thanks, Steven.
He is one handsome dude! The portrait crop definitely belongs in a frame. What a stunner. If I were a hen, I’d definitely be doing some swooning.
I agree with April that the noise they make while vibrating the primaries is quite something, as is the noise made when scraping those feathers against the ground — and different surfaces definitely result in different sound qualities.
“different surfaces definitely result in different sound qualities”
In the past I’ve noticed that too, Marty.
These are the best turkey pictures! Beautiful.
Thank you, Joanne.
Oh MY! I think I’m getting the vapors! What a handsome lad! Yes, I’d fall for him in a New York second! And oh that snood! Be still my heart!
I’m often amused at the performances/antics of males of most all species this time of year. Granted, they’re sometimes joined by the females, but sometimes not. And some are quite over the top–birds often put on outrageous plumage displays along with critters like bighorn sheep, for example in the mammal world. The dating scene is hard work. Glad I’m out of that loop now.
“The dating scene is hard work”
Laura, more than just hard work it was expensive and stressful for introverted me. I never really liked it much…
Strictly for display acumen, I think your guy is every bit as gorgeous
as any peacock male, with a lot more variety in his beauty– I’m so
glad you “got” and shared him !
I prefer him over a peacock, Kris. Probably for the irrational reason of peacocks being so darned noisy…
These are beautiful Ron, I love the head on shot, it really shows the iridescence off. When they vibrate the wing primaries it makes a delightful noise. I like the way they will tilt their tail in the direction of the female they are trying to attract, like a fan dancer.
Thank you, April. I don’t remember hearing the noise yesterday but I’ve heard it before.
Fascinating. The turks are gobbling away here this am, and if I get to see “our” flock, I’ll certainly look for the snood. These birds are so all-over-the-place here, I had actually stopped looking closely. Like Robins. The first Black-Headed Grosbeak showed up at the feeder yesterday. Always a moment here!!
Sharon, I’ll be looking for those grosbeaks this morning but they’re a long shot for me.
That head-on view is out of this world!
Glad you like it, Ken. And to think I almost didn’t include it because there isn’t an obvious catch light in either eye… 🙂
Does attract attention for sure! 🙂
🙂
What great way to start my day! I love wild turkeys but I have never seen a Tom up close. This guy is magnificent. I am so grateful that you are still getting out and sharing your talents with us. Thank you, Ron. Please stay safe and healthy.
Thanks Melanie. Sad to stay I strongly suspect that my time getting out will likely end in the near future.
Really like the head on shot and thanks for including the face close up. My favorites are the last one and the head on. They are excellent photos.
Benjamin Franklin was a very wise man and one of the cornerstones of our newly formed nation, but picking Tom over our American Bald Eagle for our national emblem just would not have worked. 🙂
Thanks, Everett.
I dunno, I think I’d have been fine with the Wild Turkey as our national bird.
Makes me wonder if one of the toms is a carrier for the smoke gene.
He sure is a beauty!
It’s sure possible, Pam. The teacher in me is happy you thought to mention that… 🙂
Great photo and entertaining comments! This is a great way to start the day… Thanks.
Good. Thank you, Alison.
I hesitate to say this, but that flipped up bit might be very attractive to a female for … ahem…purely…ahem…I blush, but…sexual reasons.
Made me smile, Arwen. You may be right…
Gorgeous Tom! Flipping the snood almost like some guys flipping their hair! 😉 I love the colors and feather detail – amazing how beautiful they are for what, at times, appears to be a rather ugly, ungainly bird……….
“Flipping the snood almost like some guys flipping their hair!”
Or some gals. In my experience both do it. Maybe it actually enhanced his sex appeal… 🙂