I've seen reports of double bearded jakes before, but this was a first for me. I've been watching this jake closely because of his unusually long beard - much longer than the rest of his gang; but this morning I got a good broadside view of him and could see that he is double-bearded. I've seen plenty of bearded hens over the years, but never a double bearded jake, which makes me think they are much less common.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51960975140_538bd78f0e_o_d.jpg)
My wife killed a triple bearded jake. Never saw one that I could tell by looking at it like that!
I've sometimes wondered if multi-bearded birds start off with them as a jake or if adult birds with a single beard can split or grow more over time.
Kind of like the once a spike always a spike myth for deer. Will a single bearded bird always be a single bearded bird?
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Very cool Mike. Thx for sharing
Quote from: Mallard1897 on March 25, 2022, 01:55:20 PM
I've sometimes wondered if multi-bearded birds start off with them as a jake or if adult birds with a single beard can split or grow more over time.
Kind of like the once a spike always a spike myth for deer. Will a single bearded bird always be a single bearded bird?
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Good question. I would think a multi bearded bird has them from the get go, but I really don't know. I would imagine there are double bearded jakes that are killed but the additional beards aren't noticed because they are so small.
Multi-bearded Jakes are more common than multi-bearded Toms only because some don't make it to maturity.
Cool picture. I hope he gets the opportunity to grow those beards long & thick. Thanks for sharing.
Jim
Very cool bird !!!!
I called in two jakes for a 14 year old boy one year. The one he shot had two beards. 3"&1". I'm sure all multi beard birds are that way from birth. Cool picture. Thanks
I've never seen a jake like that, thanks for sharing.
I shot a triple bearded jake 20 years ago.
I shot a 4 bearded Jake several years ago, longest beard was 6" and he was the bully in a big group of jakes, picking fights with the other birds. He also weighed 17 pounds which was heavier than my lightest longbeard. If I hadn't had such a crappy season that year he'd have lived to be a biggun. Probably would have been that boss bird with all the hens that stays out in the middle of a field all day.
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