How a gobbler drums

[Number17]

I'll take a different stance on this.
I believe the "spit" is a rapid INHALATION of air, not air being exhaled.
After this quick huff to inhale air, the drum is merely a turkeys version of a deep chest humming noise similar to the way a human would hum at the lowest possible frequency.

Watch the way a gobbler tucks his beak towards his throat during a loud spit sound. This motion leads me to further believe it is an inhale motion and not an exhale.

[Hwd silvestris]

I don't know much about anything nor how he produces the spit or the drum.    I do feel confident it's air being either inhaled or exhaled rapidly some type of way.  Not sure which one. 
I did hear a turkey make a noise this spring I've never heard before.  It was an audible type sigh.  I know that sounds crazy.  It was like he exhaled a deep breath.  He kinda was stretching a bit when I heard it.  Never heard that before.   


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[Chordeiles]

I remember listening to a Lovett Williams recording a long time ago where he was talking about drumming and he said that while he was unsure how exactly they made the sound he was fairly certain it wasn't a vocalization. He believed it had something to do with a vibration of feathers, I think. Anyhow, I always wondered why he didn't think it was a vocalization. I believed it probably was. Well a bird I was on this season proved me wrong and this is how. Bird drops within about 50yds of me off the roost and I can see him but don't have a shot. I watch him gobble and strut and drum for about an hour and a half constantly. Bird drummed more than any I've ever encountered, at times only drumming. Well at different points the bird drummed WHILE gobbling. I watched him gobble and while that sound was taking place the zoom sound of the drum was also occurring at the same time. I'm still not wholly convinced it can't be taking place internally, but what I do know for sure is that it's not a vocalization, at least not in the way we'd normally think. Still never encountered a definitive answer from scientists about the origin of sound. What are y'all's thoughts?


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I agree.
In Shane's video, at min 2:35, the last gobbler sounds like he's gobbling and drumming at the same time.( I had earbuds in while listening)

I don't know how he does it though lol.

https://youtu.be/oQDSrIUaQ2U


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[ChesterCopperpot]

I agree.
In Shane's video, at min 2:35, the last gobbler sounds like he's gobbling and drumming at the same time.( I had earbuds in while listening)

I don't know how he does it though lol.

https://youtu.be/oQDSrIUaQ2U


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I can't tell in that video, but with the bird I'm referencing it was very, very clear that the two sounds were happening simultaneously so I know for a fact it happens. The first time it happened I was stunned and thought I'd misheard or that there were multiple birds. The second, third, fourth, fifth time it happened it became clear to me he was doing it intentionally and it changed the way I'd thought of that sound. I wish the folks saying it's a vocalization—if they mean that as in the sound is coming out of the birds mouth—would address what I observed. How could a bird make both those sounds at once from his mouth?

A lot of folks also seem to correlate spitting and drumming, and, yes, most times the two go together. But they're most certainly not dependent on one another. Birds will just drum and drum sometimes and not gobble or spit. This bird after gobbling and drumming for an hour and half just spit. Made no other sounds. Just walked around and spit over and over.


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[RaspyD]

https://youtu.be/UI5eEApUXhQ
Go to the :41 mark and watch.  I looks to me like the gobbler gets bigger, as in an inhalation, during the spit and then the gobbler gets smaller during the drum, as in an exhalation. There is a vibration or shaking of feathers but I don't believe that is creating the sound. To answer Chester's question after watching this video it appears to me that the drumming is a sound internal to the turkey and is not coming out of the mouth.  If that sound comes out of the turkey's mouth wouldn't that air that creates the sound have to pass over the bird's vocal chords? Making it impossible to gobble and drum at the same time?

[Happy]

I had a pet wild turkey when I was a kid. He would drum while standing on my lap. I could feel the vibration in his chest. Not sure how they do it but it is a sound and I don't believe it comes from the vocal cords.

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[J.D. Shellnut]

This is what he does.... when a gobbler spits he forces air out in a burst. You can actually see spit come out of the beak of the gobbler. Then the drum follows instantly. The air of the drum is also forced out the body like he is exhaling. The vibration comes from deep within the chest. It's not really known if that vibrate comes from their throat or from their chest.

I agree with this. I don't see how he could make the spitting sound inhaling. I think the spit sound is the air rapidly leaving him then he shuts it almost completely off tucks his head and slowly releases it. Ive seen their heads change several different colors while doing this. And I think its from the air pressure building in his head as he slowly releases.  Same way as we keep our mouth shut and try to force air out but not let it. Just my two cents.                     

[Sixes]

I think it comes from the other end and he is actually passing gas

[stinkpickle]

All of those theories are wrong.  Toms have a built-in 15" Kicker sub.  You can't argue it...it's science.

[Howie g]

I say it's air being pushed out his Kraw area causing vibration .

[bigriverbum]

All of those theories are wrong.  Toms have a built-in 15" Kicker sub.  You can't argue it...it's science.

if i hear 'nothin' but a g thang' coming in, i know i have no chance

[ChesterCopperpot]

I had a pet wild turkey when I was a kid. He would drum while standing on my lap. I could feel the vibration in his chest. Not sure how they do it but it is a sound and I don't believe it comes from the vocal cords.

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That's fascinating!


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[jhoward11]

They use their drumsticks.LOLLLLLLL

[Muzzy61]

They use their drumsticks.LOLLLLLLL

[Old Timer]

I don't know exactly how but I've seen it, heard it, and felt it enough to know it's vocal and if he does it in front of me very long I'll let the air out of him.

Gooserbat you get 2 thumbs up!