With the holidays approaching, turkeys take center stage. But beyond the roasted bird on your table, wild turkeys showcase a beautiful array of natural plumage. Domestic turkeys also come in a diverse spectrum of colors. So what are the typical colors and patterns that make up a turkey’s feathers?
As an avid birder and poultry owner myself I decided to dig into the details on turkey coloration. Read on for a deep dive into the naturally gorgeous and sometimes unusual feather hues of these iconic birds.
Wild Turkey Feather Colors
In the wild, turkeys sport camouflage made up of rich, earthy tones that help them blend into the forests and fields where they live. Here are some of the main colors found in a wild turkey’s plumage:
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Dark brown is the predominant body color on most of their feathers Shades range from chocolate to nearly black
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Bronze and copper iridescence shimmers subtly across many body feathers, resulting in olive-brown to bronze-green hues.
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Rusty tan appears on the tips of the tail and rump feathers.
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Creamy white bars decorate the wings. These become visible when the bird takes flight.
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Gray to blue skin covers the bald head and neck. Red or bluish-white wattles dangle from the throat.
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Iridescent green, purple and bronze becomes very apparent on male feathers during courtship displays in spring.
This gorgeous range of wild turkey feather hues and patterns provides natural camouflage while also attracting mates.
Male Wild Turkey Colors
Male wild turkeys, also called toms or gobblers, tend to be a bit more vibrant in their coloring than females. Here are some notes on their plumage:
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Their body feathers have an intense iridescent copper, bronze and green sheen.
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The tips of the tail and flight feathers often glow with a reddish-chestnut tint.
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Their feathers can appear nearly black in certain lighting conditions.
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The bare head and neck skin is tinted blue with bright red wattles.
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During mating displays, male feathers become extremely iridescent with metallic greens, purples and bronzes.
Female Wild Turkey Colors
Female wild turkeys, also called hens, are more subtly colored than the males.
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Their overall body is a muted brown with little iridescence on most feathers.
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The tips of the tail and wings show rusty tan banding.
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When spread, their wings display thick white barring.
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Neck and head skin is a grayish blue with a small red wattle under the throat.
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Some hens may show faint bronze or copper iridescence in their body plumage.
Baby Turkey Colors
Wild turkey chicks, known as poults, are fuzzy and speckled when they first hatch.
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Their downy coat is light brown with dark brown striping for camouflage.
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They have a yellowish tan face and legs.
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Even very young, their wings show a dark bar.
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As juvenile feathers grow in, they start to resemble small female turkeys.
Domestic Turkey Colors
After centuries of domestication, farm-raised turkeys look quite different from wild ones.
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Most domestic turkeys are solid white. This makes processing easier.
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Some may be dark brown or black. Heritage breed turkeys retain more natural coloring.
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Iridescent feathers are less common since they are bred mainly for meat yield.
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Bright red wattles and head caruncles are exaggerated through breeding.
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Unusual blue and purple shades occur in breeds like the Blue Slate.
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Speckled black-and-white patterns occur on breeds like the Bourbon Red.
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A few heritage breeds show metallic sheens, like the Bronze turkey.
Rare and Unique Turkey Colors
While rich brown and solid white turkeys are most common, unusual colors sometimes pop up:
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Albino turkeys lack pigment, resulting in pure white plumage.
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The lavender or self blue gene produces a light gray coloration.
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Silver causes black pigment to be restricted, leaving just white and gray.
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Rare chocolate brown and red shades arise from recessive genes.
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The splash pattern shows irregular white spotting, like paint splatters.
These unique genetic variations can make for some very colorful backyard flocks!
How to Identify Gender from Colors
When you spot a brown turkey in the brush, how can you tell if it’s male or female? Look for these color clues:
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Males have more iridescent, shiny feathers with a coppery-bronze glow.
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Watch for a reddish-chestnut tint on the tail or wingtips of a male.
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Richer, darker brown and blacker feathers typically indicate a male.
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A bird with crisp white barring on dull brown wings is likely a female.
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The blue head and red wattle of a male will be much more vivid.
Pay attention to those subtle details to distinguish gobblers from hens when birdwatching!
So whether it’s a camouflaged wild turkey or a solid white domestic bird, the stunning colors and patterns of turkey feathers make them remarkable. Next time you sit down to a holiday meal, appreciate the beautiful palette that nature gave this iconic species.
Wild Turkey Oddities: Feathers
Turkey oddities are the result of genetic variations that cause one or more turkeys in a flock to differ from the rest. These genetic differences may be natures way of improving a species, but that isnt always the case.
Each subspecies has highly visible feathers, which match the colors of their habitat and provide a better chance of survival.
A good example is to look at each subspecies of wild turkeys rump feathers and tips of their tail feathers. Eastern and Osceola turkeys, in the heavily wooded areas of the East and South show relatively dark, chestnut colors. Rio Grande turkeys have buff tail feather tips that match the plains and shrub areas they inhabit. Merriams turkeys, found primarily in snowy mountain areas, have rump feathers and tail feather tips that are nearly white.
Individual differences in feather coloration are probably the most reported oddities. The late James Kazmierski and his son, Steven, compiled a detailed article titled, “Turkey Plumage: Color and Composition,” in which they state that the genetics responsible for these variations have not been well documented. The Kazmierskis list eight plumage types found in domestic turkeys. They go on to speculate that since domestic turkeys originated from wild stock, the genes responsible for such plumage types are probably found in wild populations as well.
One of the most common color variations is the “smoky gray” color phase. Turkeys with this variation appear white from a distance. Upon closer examination, however, it is obvious that these birds appearance is due to a loss of brown or bronze pigments while the black areas of the feathers remain. Every year, the NWTF receives reports of turkeys in a smoky gray color phase, and many turkey hunters have seen at least one during their time in their field. This recessive trait seems to occur more frequently among hens, but is still occasionally seen in gobblers.
While this trait is probably detrimental to survival–it makes the turkey more visible–some smoky gray wild turkeys may survive for several years. One smoky gray hen in Georgia was observed with a normal brood of poults each spring for five years.
Melanistic (black) and erythristic (red) color variations also are reported each year, but are not as common as the smoky gray phase. Many of these turkeys are striking in appearance and stand out visibly when seen among flocks of normal looking wild turkeys.
The least common color variation is complete albinism, or the total lack of color pigments. True albinos are seldom found among wild turkeys.
Most hunters see color variations for the first time and think that the condition is a result of crossbreeding with a domestic turkey. Many wildlife biologists used to think the same thing. But, these differences occur regularly in flocks that have no contact with domestic turkeys.
Rio Grande wild turkey
- Tan-colored tips on tail feathers
- Same amount of black and white barring on wings
- Adult males weigh approximately 20 pounds on average
- Adult females weigh 8 to 12 pounds
- Moderate gobbles
- Moderate beard-lengths
- Moderate spur-lengths
- Light tips on tail feathers and upper tail coverts (rump feathers), buff to white
- More white and less black on wings
- Adult males weigh 18 to 30 pounds
- Adult females weigh 8 to 12 pounds
- Weakest gobbles of all subspecies
- Short to moderate beard length
- Short spurs
- Long legs similar to the Osceola
- Snow-white tips on tail feathers and upper tail coverts
- Wings are moderate in coloration
- Adult males weigh 18 to 30 pounds
- Adult females weigh 12 to 14 pounds
- Moderate gobbles
- Moderate beard-lengths
- Shortest spurs of all subspecies
- Rainbow-like iridescent feathering
- Grey tail feathers with blue and gold tips
- White and black wings
- Adult Males weigh 11 to 12 pounds
- Adult females weigh 6 to 7 pounds
- A unique, high-pitched “gobble” preceded by a hollow drumming sound
- No beard
- Very long spurs
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FAQ
What are the different colors of turkeys?
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 are the national colors of turkey?
The national colors of Turkey are red and white on its flag. In addition, turquoise, which is a part of Turkish culture, is considered one of the colors of Turkey.
What are the colorful turkeys called?
Ocellated Turkeys (Meleagris ocellata). Not as well known as the Wild Turkey of North America, this colorful bird lives only in the Yucatan Peninsula region of Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize.
What are the colors of heritage turkeys?
More than ten different turkey breeds are classified as heritage turkeys, including the Auburn, Buff, Black, Bourbon Red, Narragansett, Royal Palm, Slate, Standard Bronze, Pied, Harvey Speckled and Midget White.