Biology question

[Life of Riley]

What does it mean when a turkeys head is changing colors. I saw a few while hunting this spring and they were really white. Then I saw a gobbler today and his tail was closed up and his head was a dull bluish grey. My buddy I hunt with shot one mid may in Wisconsin. He said the head on the gobbler went from bright blue to bright red.

[guesswho]

It means his mood is changing.   It can go from white to red and anything in between in seconds.   I think it's the amount of blood flowing to the head that causes the change.

[outdoors]

YUP ? ? ?   

[Dr Juice]

I saw the color change one time while spring hunting and I thought I was hallucinating. It was an awesome sight.


All The Way!

[Happy]

I know that when I am calling to one and his head goes from red to white I am in bussiness!

[HFultzjr]

Blue = Just woke up and I'm cold.
White = Fired up and ready to go.
Red = Ooops, I'm dead (embarrassment)
LOL

[Marc]

The red color is due to blood vessels underlying the skin...  During the breeding season, there is apparently increased blood flow, creating the bright red head.

The blue and white colors are due to constriction of these blood vessels allowing varying degrees of the underlying collagen to be visible...

I would have to think that someone somewhere has studied what the different colors indicate as to turkey behavior, but I have not been able to locate any such information...

I would love to see a link to some of this information, not only out of just plain curiosity, but because I think it could be useful information as a turkey hunter.

[BABS9]

From what I have found you have to pay attention to everything. That being head, neck and caruncles. As well as his snood.. . White and blue head/neck with red base or just all blue and white means he is more relaxed. Probably a more dominant bird as well. If that head neck and base is white and red that means he's nervous.. He either has been getting beat up and isn't the dominant bird or he seen something he doesn't like.

The snood can be a huge tell tale sign to his mood and dominance too. Most times when his snood is down and just hanging he is relaxed. You will see too if you have more than one Tom a lot of times the dominant birds snood will be down and relaxed where as the subordinate toms snoods will be up. If you have a Tom coming in his head is white and blue snood is down. Then all of a sudden that snood shoots up his head pops up and starts turning more red... You better take a shot if you've got it because he seen something he doesn't like.

This is just all stuff I have found or noticed. Some opinions may differ.

Here's a good link that has some good info on turkey body language.
http://bestturkeydecoy.com/body-language/

[TRG3]

BABS9...Thanks for the link. I photocopied the information and will be checking my decoys to see if they meet the suggested body language. In addition, I'm going to take more time before pulling the trigger on incoming gobblers to look at some of the body language postures noted in the link. To me, everything leading up to the shot is often more enjoyable that actually bagging the bird. Putting my wits up against a tom's is great fun, even if he wins more often than I do. Always learning more about the animal I'm hunting motivates me to get out there and see what Mother Nature has in store for me!

[Marc]

Here's a good link that has some good info on turkey body language.
http://bestturkeydecoy.com/body-language/

Excellent post and great information in the link and your post!

Should be a sticky on this forum.

[GobbleNut]

I agree that the link is mostly great information and is accurate to a large degree.  However, the last segment about "feet cadence" is a bit questionable.  Gobblers can breed hen after hen without having to go through any significant waiting period between.  I once watched a gobbler breed probably twenty hens, one after the other, with very little break in between other than waiting for the next hen to take the proper position. 

Although I personally have never had a gobbler stop on the way in to pleasure himself, if he is in that frame of mind on his way to you, I doubt there is much to worry about in terms of calling mistakes (within reason) at that point. 

[g8rvet]

I think a lot of knowledge on head color is also gained from watching multiple gobblers (or even jakes) come in and look at the color of their heads/caruncles and see how they interact.  Interesting that in many cases it is easy to pick out the dominant bird before you see them start interacting based on colors.  When you are in a video watching mood, look at birds that have been videoed and watch their body language and interaction and compare their head colors.  Interesting stuff, but not infallible either.

[Marc]

I agree that the link is mostly great information and is accurate to a large degree.  However, the last segment about "feet cadence" is a bit questionable.  Gobblers can breed hen after hen without having to go through any significant waiting period between. 

I questioned that myself...  Although I have had a number of very excited gobblers suddenly lose interest for no good reason...  Maybe they left in shame???

[ferocious calls]

When thier heads are bright blue they are getting aggressive or agitated and a fight is ready to happen. When the waddles are red they are ready to breed. I am still observing the white heads and have not reached a conclusion yet.

I get to watch 23 Eastern toms every day compete for breeding rights. That's rite they are still breeding and hens still laying. 11 hens laid well over 500 eggs this spring/summer. 170 hatched.

Anyone wants some Easterns we got em. Yes we have the permit.

[KentuckyHeadhunter]

When thier heads are bright blue they are getting aggressive or agitated and a fight is ready to happen. When the waddles are red they are ready to breed. I am still observing the white heads and have not reached a conclusion yet.

I get to watch 23 Eastern toms every day compete for breeding rights. That's rite they are still breeding and hens still laying. 11 hens laid well over 500 eggs this spring/summer. 170 hatched.

Anyone wants some Easterns we got em. Yes we have the permit.

I asked the wife.  She "declined".  Dangit.  Every time I want a goat or pig or flock of birds she says no.  She said it already sounds like I'm raising turkeys down in the man cave.