Turkey Anatomy
Turkey Anatomy: What Is This Bird Made Of?
Turkey anatomy is not too much of a wonder, aside from the fact that a 20 pound wild turkey can take quick flight, reaching speeds of 55 miles per hour within seconds of take off. He roosts in trees by night and forages the ground for food by day, usually when the sun is mild or there is a slight drizzle of rain. There are four races of wild turkeys indigenes to North America, and all of them have basically the same turkey anatomy. The plumage is a great way to decipher and depict between the species, and we will discuss the feather markings of the most common tom turkeys below. Domestic turkeys are prone to having the same anatomical features internally as our popular wild turkeys have, but they tend to be much larger with smaller wings, and many of them are adorned in the classic farm row white.
Beginning our lessons on turkey anatomy with the legs, these drumsticks are not just for our dining pleasure. The wild turkey is surprisingly strong, agile, and swift when it comes to eluding danger, and can burst into running speeds of fifteen miles per hour in seconds. What’s more, the muscular legs will propel the huge bird off of the ground and into the air, where he can fly up to 55 miles per hour almost instantly. His energy needs conserving however, so he will only flap for about 400 yards before settling into a long glide away from danger. His eyes will save him every time, as his sight is keen at all distances, and he has the skittish, nervous energy that he needs to react to what he sees.
A weak point in turkey anatomy is the bird’s poor sense of smell. Unlike deer, who can smell you far before you are seen, the turkey can not smell very well at all. This is his greatest weakness, aside from his size, which can be hard to hide. Scenting doesn’t work when hunting turkeys, but decoys and bating can bring a good deal of success to the patient hunter. Because the scent glands are undersized, bating only works if the turkeys stumble across it, and this could take some time to establish in your hunting territory. Try not to fret; they will likely get the hint over time.
Male turkey anatomy is a bit different from that of the female of the species, with the most distinct variations showing in size and plumage. The tom, or male, turkey is larger, sometime weighing in at over 22 pounds. He wears a beard, which is a long specialized feather hanging from the nape of his neck. As the tom grows older, the beard becomes longer and more distinct, much like his tail show.