Eastern Turkey

They are a stout bird with a bluish-gray naked head and pink neck. During courtship, the tom's head color can vary from white to light gray, deep blue or bright red depending on mood.

The throat wattles are red and the body is covered with iridescent feathers. tom's tail fan is edged in light tan or buff. The rump is glossy black with the upper rump feathers (coverts) buff to cinnamon.

The turkey hen is usually slate gray. It can travel up to 20 miles to find a nesting site. In the wild, turkeys are gregarious and winter in very large flocks. Turkey legs are pinkish to gray or black and males have spurs (females rarely have spurs).

Although they do not have ear lobes or flaps to funnel in sound waves, hens and gobblers have acute hearing. They easily hear the calling of another turkey or a hunter, and pinpoint the source of the sounds with remarkable precision.

Slapping brush, heavy footsteps or the metallic click of a shotgun's safety can send a gobbler ducking for cover.