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Turkey Guide 2020 web

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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.

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