How Far Can a Turkey See?

Wild turkeys have incredible eyesight. Their ability to sense a predator, like a hunter leaning back against a tree, is uncanny. Turkey vision can seem even supernatural at times. But really, it’s just a combination of evolution and physiology. There’s still plenty we don’t know about how turkeys see, but researchers have uncovered plenty of interesting facts, many of which can be useful to hunters.

We know that a turkey’s vision is three times sharper than our own. They can also see nearly eight times farther than we can, and their color vision is far more enhanced than ours. Turkey vision has evolved over the course of millions of years to help them spot predators, locate mates, and identify challengers. Understanding how turkeys see and perceive danger just might help improve your hunting setups this spring.

Turkeys Can See Color–Better Than Us

Of all the vertebrate species on the planet today, birds have the most complex retinas. Accordingly, they perceive a larger and richer spectrum of colors than humans and other mammals do.

Without getting too deep into eyeball science, the human retina has four types of photoreceptors, consisting of one rod and three single cones. Rods help us see in low light, while cones help convert light into color signals, allowing us to see short, moderate, and long wavelengths of blue, green, and red.

A turkey’s retina, on the other hand, has seven different types of photoreceptors: one rod, four single cones, and two double cones. This allows turkeys (and other birds) to see a spectrum of colors that are imperceptible to the naked human eye.

Dr. Chamberlain tells Outdoor Life that there’s some debate among the scientific community about whether or not turkeys can see in the UV spectrum. Regardless, he says, their color vision is “extremely acute.” This gives the birds another advantage when scanning their surroundings for predators.

“They can just pinpoint colors so well,” Chamberlain says. “Blues, blacks, and other things in their environment that may not look natural, they can pick these out immediately.”

The importance of color goes beyond predator detection, however. Hen turkeys use their enhanced color vision to seek out mates, as the fitter, more dominant toms are always more colorful than the others.

A strutting tom makes his presence known. Adobe stock

“If you’re a dominant male, you’re going to breed more than a subordinate tom,” Chamberlain explains. “They’re more fit and more aggressive. They have longer snoods, more colorful heads, and more iridescence [in their feathers].”

Turkeys also have the amazing ability to change their head color to communicate and express emotions, like when a strutting gobbler’s head transitions from bluish-white to a bright reddish color.

Turkeys Can See in All Directions at Once

When it comes to keeping an eye out for predators, a wild turkey’s greatest asset is its ability to see in all directions at once. Turkeys have monocular vision, which means their eyeballs function independently of one another. (As opposed to our own binocular vision that uses both eyes in concert.) This gives the birds a 270-degree field of vision when their heads are perfectly still. But as most turkey hunters know, this is rarely the case.

“If you pay attention, [turkeys] turn their heads constantly. And because their eyes are working independently, that offers them a 360-degree field of view,” says Dr. Mike Chamberlain, a Distinguished Professor at the University of Georgia who’s been researching wild turkeys for the past 30 years. “Whereas you and I have peripheral vision, but we can’t see above or behind us, turkeys can. By changing their head posture constantly, it allows their eyes to pick up movement as two independent periscopes.”

Chamberlain says turkeys also rely on their keen sense of hearing to augment their vision. Working in combination, these two senses allow them to quickly and accurately pinpoint potential predators and other turkeys.

“Their hearing is the same in the sense that each ear registers the sound independently and transmits it to their brain. Coupled with their vision, they can hear something, look in that direction, and they can pinpoint exactly where that sound is coming from,” he explains. “That’s why they have that uncanny ability [to locate other birds]. You call at them from the tree, and ten minutes later they’re standing right there at the tree.”

The biggest trade-off for being able to see in all directions at once is that turkeys don’t have clear depth perception. The classic turkey head bob helps with this shortcoming, according to The Wild Turkey: Biology and Management, a book that was published in 1992 by the National Wild Turkey Federation and edited by Dr. James G. Dickson.

“Though the three dimensions of space cannot be clearly perceived,” Dickson writes, “the turkey can determine relative distances by a slight turning of its head and viewing an object at different angles.”

5 Things to Know about the Turkey’s Vision

FAQ

Can turkeys see far away?

Turkeys have estimated 60/20 vision, or they see as well at 60 yards what we see at 20. Additionally, both birds take in visual images much faster than humans.Apr 28, 2017

What is the range of vision of a turkey?

Turkeys have excellent eyesight, seeing three times more clearly than 20/20 vision. They can also see in color and have a 270-degree field of vision. This—along with their generally wary nature—gives them an edge on both predators and hunters.

How good is a turkey’s eyesight?

They have an uncanny ability not only to hear sounds from great distances, but to pinpoint the exact location of their source. Their eyesight is possibly even more acute. With their head stationary they can see a field of view about 300 degrees and can likely see color many times better than humans.

Can a turkey see you blink?

Turkeys have such precise eyesight; they can see someone blink. They will notice the glint on your glasses or your firearm, so keep all that in mind when setting up.

How far can a wild turkey see?

The wild turkey has a field of vision of about 270 degrees, and with just the slightest turn of the head, it can see nearly 360 degrees around itself. Scientists have learned that for prey species, it is far more critical to see danger approaching from all around than it is to perceive depth as we humans, who possess binocular vision, can see.

How do wild turkeys see?

According to “The Wild Turkey; Biology and Management,” compiled and edited by Dr. James G. Dickson, wild turkeys have flattened corneas and can see colors to some degree. Their eyes are located on the side of their head, meaning they have monocular, periscopic vision. “Humans have binocular vision and can judge distance quickly,” Eriksen said.

How sharp is a Turkey’s vision?

We know that a turkey’s vision is three times sharper than our own. They can also see nearly eight times farther than we can, and their color vision is far more enhanced than ours. Turkey vision has evolved over the course of millions of years to help them spot predators, locate mates, and identify challengers.

Can a wild turkey see 360 degrees?

This trait leads to a monocular vision, which doesn’t allow for very good depth perception, but it does allow for a wide angle of sight. The wild turkey has a field of vision of about 270 degrees, and with just the slightest turn of the head, it can see nearly 360 degrees around itself.

Do wild turkeys have a sense of vision?

The wild turkey’s sense of vision is legendary, as anyone who has made even the slightest movement at the wrong moment can attest. Beginning with the basics, their stationary field of vision encompasses 300 degrees, which can expand to a full 360 degrees with a slight turn of the head. So you’re not going to sneak up behind them.

Can a Turkey see more than a hunter?

It’s widely accepted that wild turkeys can see three times sharper than a hunter with 20/20 vision and nearly eight times farther. Turkeys can put together details and movement through that incredible sharpness, often at unbelievable distances.