Turkeys are dark overall with a bronze-green iridescence to most of their plumage. Their wings are dark, boldly barred with white. Their rump and tail feathers are broadly tipped with rusty or white. The bare skin of the head and neck varies from red to blue to gray.
How many colors of turkey are there?
The birds are unmistakable; their signature plump shape, bald heads, and reddish-brown plumage are well known even to casual naturalists throughout the Lower 48. But not all Wild Turkeys sport this classic chestnut look. They also come in four limited-edition colors, or morphs: smoke, red, black, and white.
What do turkey colors mean?
Turkeys can change the color of the skin on their heads from red to blue to white, depending on whether they are calm or excited.
What is the most colorful turkey?
Ocellated turkey
The ocellated turkey (Meleagris ocellata) is a species of turkey residing primarily in the Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico, as well as in parts of Belize and Guatemala.
What color are female turkeys?
Male turkeys have brightly colored feathers, with feathers that have an iridescent red, green, copper, bronze, or gold sheen. Females, on the other hand, have a duller, drabber appearance, with brown or gray feathers that lack iridescence.
What are the 5 types of turkeys?
The North American Wild Turkey has five subspecies: the Rio Grande, the Merriam’s, the Osceola, the Eastern, and the Gould’s.
What is a white turkey called?
By the 1800s, a white variety – now called the White Holland in the show ring – was known in the United States. It was recognized by the American Poultry Association in 1874. The name White Holland implied Dutch origins for the variety but it’s an American breed developed from white sports of the Bronze turkey variety.
What is the red thing on a turkey called?
wattle
Wild Turkey
And there, dangling from the chin, is a wrinkly mass of bumpy, warty-looking red skin: the wattle. Why have a wattle? Wattles are an adaptive feature that come in handy in several ways. On a hot day, with the sun bearing down, the bare skin of neck and wattle helps release excess heat.
What do the colors on a turkeys head mean?
The changing colors of a gobbler’s head indicates his level of excitement and/or agitation to other turkeys. Usually when their heads turn a bright reddish color, it means they’re sexually excited or just agitated.
What kind of turkey has a blue head?
Ocellated Turkey
The Ocellated Turkey is the gaudier tropical cousin of the world’s only other turkey species, our familiar Thanksgiving bird. Watching a strutting male display is like seeing a Wild Turkey through a colorized filter: The baby-blue head is dotted with red and orange wart-like bumps.
What are the 6 types of turkey?
Each subspecies has their own set of characteristics when it comes to physical appearance and aggressiveness of calling. The six types of wild turkeys are: Eastern wild turkey, Osceola wild turkey, Gould’s wild turkey, Merriam’s wild turkey, Rio Grande wild turkey, and the Ocellated wild turkey.
How rare is a white turkey?
If you think about how many birds are harvested each year — three quarter (of a) million to a million — it kind of summarizes how rare harvesting one is.” It’s estimated “only one in 100,000 turkeys” will have leucism, the Wide Open Spaces hunting and wildlife blog said.
Why are some turkeys white and some brown?
Wild Turkeys have the deep, rich brown and black feathers that most people associate with turkeys. In completely opposite fashion, domestic turkeys are normally white in color, an intentional product of domestication because white pin feathers are less noticeable on the carcass.
How do you tell if a turkey is a male or female?
The easiest way to determine the turkey’s sex is by examining the feathers on the breast and sides of the turkey. On males, these feathers have black tips. The feather tips are brown on females.
What’s a male turkey called?
gobblers
Adult male turkeys are called gobblers. Juvenile males are called jakes. Gobblers average around 18-22 pounds and can have a wingspan of 5 feet. Adult female turkeys are called hens.
When can you tell if a turkey is male or female?
Trying to determine the gender of your newly-hatched turkey poults can be difficult, but when they are around 3 weeks of age the males (jakes) may begin to strut. You will see them fan their tail feathers, drop their wings and hold out all of their contour feathers to make their bodies appear larger.
What are the most common turkeys?
1. Broad Breasted White. When it comes to domestic turkeys in America, the Broad Breasted White is the most common.
What are brown turkeys called?
Auburn turkey
The Auburn, also known as the Light Brown, is a breed of domestic turkey. A heritage turkey, the Auburn is one of the rarest varieties currently in existence. It has been referenced by name in written records since the 18th century, and is named after the light reddish-brown color of its plumage.
What are the different types of turkey?
Wild turkeyLower classifications
What kind of turkey is GREY?
What breed of turkey is grey? The Slate, or Blue Slate, is a breed of domestic turkey known for the slate gray color of its plumage.
What is the difference between a white and bronze turkey?
White turkeys generally have larger wide breasts and short stubby legs and are considered more flighty than their Bronze cousin. Some people prefer White turkeys due to the appearance of their clean-looking skin and subtle flavour.