28 | Turkey Hunting Information: 402-471-0641
Turkey Identification
SIZE
The wild turkey is the largest of North America's game birds.
Females, known as
hens, usually weigh
between 8 and 10
pounds.
FEATHERS
Males: Gobblers have iridescent red, green, copper, bronze and gold
feathers. They use these bright colors to great advantage when attracting
females during breeding season.
Females: Hens have drab, usually brown or gray feathers. The feathers
make great camouflage and hide hens when they sit on their nests.
Color Phases: A few wild turkeys grow unusually-colored feathers known
as color phases. There are four color phases: smokey-gray, black (melanistic),
reddish (erythritic) and white (domestic hybrid, leucistic or albino).
HEAD
Males: The head is brightly colored and nearly
featherless. During breeding season, the color
alternates between red, white and blue, often changing
in a few seconds.
Hens: The head is grayish-blue and has some small
feathers for camouflage.
Caruncles and Snoods: Both males and females have
fleshy growths on their necks known as caruncles. They
both also have snoods, fleshy protrubances that hang
over their bills and can be extended or contracted at
will. The snood of an adult male usually is much larger
than that of a female.
Adult males,
known as toms or
gobblers, normally
weigh between 16
and 24 pounds.
