OutdoorNebraska.org | 27
Beard:
A male turkey grows a cluster of long, hair-like
feathers (beard) from the center of its chest. On
adult males, these beards average about 9 inches in
length. Ten to 20 percent of hens also grow beards.
The function of the beard is not well understood,
but it is suspected to play a role in mate selection
by a female. A longer beard signifies an older,
healthier male, thus a superior mate.
Legs:
Wild turkey legs are reddish-
orange. They have four toes on
each foot. Male wild turkeys
grow large spurs on the backs
of their lower legs. These
spurs are pointed, bony spikes
and are used for defense and
to establish dominance. Spurs
can grow up to 2 inches in
length.
Tail:
Wild turkey tails usually are 12 to 15 inches in length
and banded at their tips. The color of the bands in
the tail varies by subspecies. Male wild turkeys fan
their tails when displaying to attract a mate. All tail
feathers of adult males (toms) are the same length.
The feathers forming the center of a tail of a juvenile
(jake) are usually longer than the rest of the feathers
in the tail.
