White In Fan Feathers?

[MKMGOBL]

Just wondering if anyone knows what's up with the white coloring in the tail feathers? I've killed birds with red colored beards, tan tipped beards, white or tan tipped spurs & even with a mostly tan spurs. I never paid much attention to any of it other than it was pretty cool I was lucky enough to hunt such a bird. I just always thought it was a pigment issue in the bird. 

Then I read some guy that shot a gobbler with this white in the tail feathers said that it is "extremely rare". After reading what he wrote, I thought extremely rare? I've kill several birds with white in their fan & after just going back through photos in just the past 4 seasons, I've found 5 of them. One was called in last year for my taxidermist but all the other are mine & in at least 3 different states. The NH birds were all taken on two different farms but within a mile of each other.

So does anyone know what's up with the white in the tail feathers? Is extremely rare & I've been extemely lucky or is just what I always thought, a pigment issue?

2013 VT


2012 NH


2010 NH


2013 NH


2011 WV

[jblackburn]

No idea if it's rare or not, I've killed a few with that.  Killed one in Kansas last year with two feathers like that.  Got a buddy that calls it the Wild Feather.

[captin_hook]

I killed a couple like that as well. Don't know if it's true, but a old timer told me once that if there is white on a middle tail feather it means it's a old bird. But I have no clue if that's true or not

[troutfisher13111]

I have killed a couple myself and don't believe they are rare. At least not in NY.

[RutnNStrutn]

I don't think they are rare either. I have killed several like that, and been on hunts where other friends also killed birds like that.

[MKMGOBL]

Good! Because if they were "extremely rare" as they say, I need to start playing the power ball more. Maybe the age thing has something to do with it I can say this, the white in the tail feather birds in my photos were all 3yr old birds or should I say, their spurs ranged from at least 1" up to 1-3/4" for spurs length.

[RutnNStrutn]

Good! Because if they were "extremely rare" as they say, I need to start playing the power ball more.

Interesting theory on the age thing. I haven't really paid much attention to that. I do know that one of mine that had those feathers was just a 2 year old Eastern with 3/4"-7/8" spurs.

[Gooserbat]

Killed several like that myself and I do believe it's usually older birds.

[Tail Feathers]

I've killed several with some white in the tail feathers.  I have one that had almost no black in the tail feathers.  No top black band at all and very light compared to most I kill around here.
Turkeys can obviously vary quite a bit in coloration.

[GobbleNut]

From my experience, most of the time, the feathers that exhibit the color variation are the center two or four tail feathers.  Coincidentally, those feathers are also the ones that have a different moulting pattern than the rest of the fan feathers (note that it is the center fan feathers in jakes that are longer).  Hence, I suspect that the lighter edges on the center fan feathers often seen in adult gobblers can be attributed to the age of the feathers more than anything else.  ...Just offering a plausible explanation.

Having said that, there are also variations in feather coloration, especially in other areas of the feathers, that are caused by genetics.

[TRKYHTR]

You were correct in that it is a genetic thing. It is not rare or extremely rare. It was thought for a while that it was an age thing, which was my thought as well, until I killed a 2 year old with it, 2 years in a row and called in another for a friend that was a 2 year old that all had it. That threw out the age thought. It is really cool looking though.

TRKYHTR

[Yoder409]

I've taken a couple or more like that.

Really don't know as that there's any connecting or common factor.  Just happens.

[MKMGOBL]

You were correct in that it is a genetic thing. It is not rare or extremely rare. It was thought for a while that it was an age thing, which was my thought as well, until I killed a 2 year old with it, 2 years in a row and called in another for a friend that was a 2 year old that all had it. That threw out the age thought. It is really cool looking though.

TRKYHTR

OK with your experience & rutnNstrutn in both tipping 2yrs old birds with white in their tail feathers, we can knock the "older bird" theory out I'm sticking with GobbleNut post on the subject & my original thoughts of an extra pigment or genetic issue

Thanks for all to insight on this topic

[guesswho]

I kill one or two a year with those markings.  Not rare in these parts.  I call it wing barred tail feathers.  My Dad says it's because when the bird was in the egg it shook it's butt when it should have flapped it's wings.  That's about as scientific as I can get for you.

[WildTigerTrout]

I have killed a couple here in Pennsylvania with white in the center tail feathers. I don't think it is an age thing or that they are rare. I do believe it is more than likely genetics. I will add however the heaviest bird I have ever killed here had that coloration on his tail feathers and he weighed 23 pounds even. REALLY nice bird.