I was amazed and thrilled yesterday when I spotted an impressively large male Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) putting on a showy display at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge near the edge of an open field. I suspect the lady turkeys were impressed too.
I have seen wild turkeys multiple times at this wildlife refuge, but generally it has been groups of females and their offspring. According to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology website, “Courting males gobble to attract females and warn competing males. They display for females by strutting with their tails fanned, wings lowered, while making nonvocal hums and chump sounds. Males breed with multiple mates and form all-male flocks outside of the breeding season, leaving the chick-rearing to the females.” I was not able to get close enough to hear any gobbling, but the visual display by itself was stunning.
Spring is the season for love and I will be on the lookout as more male birds try to outdo their competitors and find mates using their brilliant colors, musical calls, or elaborate courting rituals.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Assuming the wild turkeys are similar to semi-wild domestic turkeys, you just need to gobble loudly yourself and he’ll gobble back loud and clear! Nigel’s an expert at it!
Wow. I have never thought of that and would have to work on my gobbling skills. I was marveling so much at the visual display that I did not want to disturb him.
He’s a handsome fella all right!
That’s a great capture Mike.
Benjamin and I are fascinated with this Wild Turkey photo. I enlarged the photo, as I often do, to see the head more clearly. He has asked me many questions about the different parts on the head and neck. We are going to go exploring for these answers. I told Benjamin that I think that the bright blue and red colors on his head are because “he is showing off for the lady turkeys and that’s why he has fanned his tail feathers too.” He thinks that the tail feathers are “humongous.” We have wild turkeys here, but I’ve never seen any of this size or beauty…as Benjamin said : “WOW!” Thank-you, Mr. Mike!!