They were first domesticated in Mexico and brought to Europe in the 16th century. For bird lovers, what is a group of turkeys called is a very interesting and informative article. Young male turkeys are called jakes, and young female turkeys are referred to as jennies. [24] Turkeys were first eaten by Native Americans by about AD 1100. Adult male turkeys are referred to as toms while adult female turkeys are called hens. They do not like dampness and cold, so they contain birds, protected from wind and weather, rooms. These are thought to arise from the supposed belief of Christopher Columbus that he had reached India rather than the Americas on his voyage. They weigh from 18 to as much as 25 pounds and are almost 3 feet tall, making them significantly larger than females. [22], The snood functions in both intersexual and intrasexual selection. From this book, the common name for a male cat was a "tomcat" The "Tom" for turkeys was borrowed from "tomcat" because male turkeys fight and breed very agressivly, just like cats. A male turkey is typically called a tom, or a gobbler. Beards are most commonly found on adult male turkeys (called gobblers), although females (called … Unfortunately, due to the rare properties and medicinal value of its meat, this amazing bird has undergone significant destruction. In a place where fine dining was made up of storks, herons, and bustards, the … So next time you see a male turkey, don't call him a man turkey! Males can grow to weigh between 16 to 24 pounds. As … In excitement, their entire head, wattles, and snood can turn several different colors based on their mood. As with many Galliformes, the male is larger and much more colorful than the female. [5] One theory is that when Europeans first encountered turkeys in America, they incorrectly identified the birds as a type of guineafowl, which were already being imported into Europe by Turkey merchants via Constantinople and were therefore nicknamed Turkey coqs (Middle Eastern merchants were called Turkey merchants as much of that area was part of the Ottoman Empire at that time). [13], The town of Brookline, Massachusetts, recommends that citizens be aggressive toward the turkeys, take a step toward them and not back down. Any turkey 15 months or older is called mature. To gobble something typically means to eat it quickly or greedily, but gobble has a specific turkey-related sense in reference to the guttural sounds the bird makes. It sounds very similar to its name. In my humble opinion, a mature Tom is almost as bedazzling as a peacock if you pay attention to the details. Dicionário Priberam da Lingua Portuguesa, "peru". [9] William Shakespeare used the term in Twelfth Night,[10] believed to be written in 1601 or 1602. One of the definitions of "tom" is "The male of various animals, especially a male cat or turkey. " Males have very dark bodies, but upon close … Bochenski, Z. M., and K. E. Campbell, Jr. (2006). [16] It has been suggested that its demise was due to the combined pressures of human hunting and climate change at the end of the last glacial period.[17]. [5] In Portuguese a turkey is a peru; the name is thought to derive from the country Peru. Brookline officials have also recommended "making noise (clanging pots or other objects together); popping open an umbrella; shouting and waving your arms; squirting them with a hose; allowing your leashed dog to bark at them; and forcefully fending them off with a broom. The immature jake does not exhibit many of the characteristics of a mature male or "tom," but rather resembles a hen, so it's helpful to be able to distinguish between a hen and a jake, especially when hunting wild turkey. However, when the male begins strutting (the courtship display), the snood engorges with blood, becomes redder and elongates several centimetres, hanging well below the beak (see image). That snood I mentioned earlier is a piece of flesh that sits on a young … These spurs are pointed, … The strut of a wild turkey consists of five main components: 1. The turkey is a large bird in the genus Meleagris, which is native to the Americas.The genus has two extant species: the wild turkey of eastern and central North America and the ocellated turkey of the Yucatán Peninsula.Males of both turkey species have a distinctive fleshy wattle or protuberance that hangs from the top of the beak (called a snood).They are among the largest birds in their ranges. Juvenile males are called jakes; the difference between an adult male and a juvenile is that the jake has a very short beard … In the absence of a male, female Turkeys are known to produce fertile eggs. 2. jake. In different parts of the US there are also regional slang terms for male turkeys and many people refer to them as gobblers, but people will also use this term to refer to turkeys in general, not just … Take a close look at a male Wild Turkey—if you dare. The hen never gobbles. It got me to thinking about turkey beards. The Snood. I'm not sure if this info is correct, I found it on the Randolph-Macon College website. A baby turkey is called a poult, but what are grown turkeys called? When a turkey yelps, it is in a series of notes, mostly in a sequence three to eight that shares location with other birds. “Tom” has been used for the male of a species since the anonymous work The Life and Adventures of a Cat (1760) described the adventures of “Tom the Cat,” later giving the name “tom cat.” The name “Tom turkey” has been cited in print since at least 1848 and 1851. The Meleagridinae are known from the Early Miocene (c. 23 mya) onwards, with the extinct genera Rhegminornis (Early Miocene of Bell, U.S.) and Proagriocharis (Kimball Late Miocene/Early Pliocene of Lime Creek, U.S.). In the realm … On adult males, these beards average about 9 inches long. A “tom turkey” (occasionally given as “thomas turkey”) is a male turkey. Turkeys. call. 4. It is an alternate name for mature male chicken or rooster. A male turkey is called a tom or a gobbler, a female turkey a hen, and a baby turkey a poult or chick. Again the importers lent the name to the bird; hence Turkey-cocks and Turkey-hens, and soon thereafter, turkeys. Their heads are featherless and can quickly change between white, red and blue during mating season. Male turkeys are called toms or gobblers. They were first domesticated by the indigenous people of Mexico from at least 800 BC onwards. Turkeys are able to adapt to a wide variety of habitats. Beard Function. For example, male turkeys are called toms, female turkeys are called hens, young males are called jakes, baby turkeys are called poults, and a group of turkeys is called a flock. Fowl is a general term for domesticated birds including chicken. A male turkey is called a tom or a gobbler, a female turkey a hen, and a baby turkey a poult or chick. Female turkeys are called hens and are smaller than males, as they only grow to 8 to 10 pounds. Turkeys are classed in the family Phasianidae (pheasants, partridges, francolins, junglefowl, grouse, and relatives thereof) in the taxonomic order Galliformes. The anhinga (Anhinga anhinga) is sometimes called the water turkey, from the shape of its tail when the feathers are fully spread for drying. [citation needed], Turkeys have been known to be aggressive toward humans and pets in residential areas. A male turkey is typically called a tom, or a gobbler. [citation needed], Other languages have other names for turkeys. Juvenile male turkeys are called jakes until they reach adulthood. Males have metallic feathers of varying colors, such as red, copper, green and bronze. [3] In the modern genus Meleagris, a considerable number of species have been described, as turkey fossils are robust and fairly often found, and turkeys show great variation among individuals. 1. Spanish traders brought some that had been reared by indigenous Americans to Europe and Asia. So, the phrase "tom turkey," whether it is in a song, book, play, or cartoon, is how the character tom turkey got his name. The bird will hold its tail in a vertical position and spread its tail feathers to form a fan. One of the first things people notice about turkeys are the red, fleshy stretches of skin and bulbous growths located around the head and … Hope this helps. Many of these names incorporate an assumed Indian origin, such as dinde ('from India') in French, индюшка (indyushka, 'bird of India') in Russian, indyk in Polish and Ukrainian, and hindi ('India') in Turkish. Only about 10 to 20 percent of hens grow beards, and it’s likely a genetic mutation, according to Sciencing.com. After birth, baby turkeys are unable to fly for the first two weeks. Most of the time when the turkey is in a relaxed state, the snood is pale and 2–3 cm long. The White Turkey is the domesticated species of turkeys, which is raised for food. In the US a male turkey under 1 year of age is called a Young Tom and a male turkey over 1 year of age is called an Old Tom. Turkeys are the largest game bird that is found in North America. Habituated turkeys may attempt to dominate or attack people that the birds view as subordinates. Cockerel. A 5 to 7 month old turkey is called a young roaster and a yearling is a year old. The genus has two extant species: the wild turkey of eastern and central North America and the ocellated turkey of the Yucatán Peninsula. This is a young male chicken from 6-8 weeks of age up until one year. However they a male turkey of any age can be referred to generally as a Tom. Toms possess a long “beard” on their chests, with long, hair-like feathers that stick out. The baby turkeys are called a poult, or a chick, regardless of the gender. And there, dangling from the chin, is a wrinkly mass of bumpy, warty-looking red skin: the wattle. Males of both turkey species have a distinctive fleshy wattle or protuberance that hangs from the top of the beak (called a snood). Crowe, Timothy M.; Bloomer, Paulette; Randi, Ettore; Lucchini, Vittorio; Kimball, Rebecca T.; Braun, Edward L. & Groth, Jeffrey G. (2006a): "Supra-generic cladistics of landfowl (Order Galliformes)". A tree yelp is a yelp often used by a roosted hen before … Male turkeys are called toms, and female turkeys are called hens. This turkey is a hefty four feet of bird, tail tip to beak. Turkeys have been considered by many authorities to be their own family—the Meleagrididae—but a recent genomic analysis of a retrotransposon marker groups turkeys in the family Phasianidae. The beard’s function is not known with certainty, but it might influence mate selection by hens. If … The modern domesticated turkey descends from the wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo), one of the two species of turkey (genus Meleagris); however, in the past the ocellated turkey (Meleagris ocellata) was also domesticated. [citation needed], There are two theories for the derivation of the name turkey, both of which may be correct, according to Columbia University professor of Romance languages Mario Pei. A male turkey is called either a tom or a gobbler. A group of wild turkeys is called a flock, a group of domesticated turkeys is commonly referred to as a rafter. Strutting His Stuff. Juvenile male turkeys are called jakes until they reach adulthood. So then I researched "tomcat". It's also a good call for when a hen is on the look for a tom, so learning this call as a hunter is vital. In the April 2015 issue, you described differences in the shape of male and female turkey droppings. The poults roost on the ground with their mother until they are capable of flying. [5][8], In 1550, the English navigator William Strickland, who had introduced the turkey into England, was granted a coat of arms including a "turkey-cock in his pride proper". They may be landfowl like chicken or turkeys or waterfowl like ducks. [27][28], In her memoirs, Lady Dorothy Nevill (1826–1913)[29] recalls that her great-grandfather Horatio Walpole, 1st Earl of Orford (1723–1809), imported a quantity of American turkeys[29] which were kept in the woods around Wolterton Hall and in all probability were the embryo flock for the popular Norfolk turkey breeds of today. Fact Check: Is the COVID-19 Vaccine Safe. A Wild Turkey’s “beard” is the tuft that looks a bit like a … These domesticates were then either introduced into what is now the US Southwest or independently domesticated a second time by the indigenous people of that region by 200 BC, at first being used for their feathers, which were used in ceremonies and to make robes and blankets. A female turkey is called a hen. A group of turkeys is called a flock or a rafter. [19], In anatomical terms, the snood is an erectile, fleshy protuberance on the forehead of turkeys. This is a male chicken over the age of one year. Are turkeys called 'gobblers' because of the way they eat? They range from less than 1 ⁄ 2 inch (1.3 cm) in male turkeys that are less than a year old up to 2 inches (5.1 cm) in turkeys over 4 years old. What are baby turkeys called? A female turkey called a hen. [12] Wild turkeys have a social structure and pecking order and habituated turkeys may respond to humans and animals as they do to another turkey. A turkey doesn’t have feathers on their head but the Tom does have fleshy wattles covering their face. On a hot day, with the sun bearing … Domestic turkeys come from Wild Turkey (a species that is native only to the Americas. 5 ) Male turkeys are called “gobblers,” after the “gobble” call they make to announce themselves to females (which are called “hens”) and compete with other males. [citation needed], Chan Chich Lodge area, Belize: the ocellated turkey is named for the eye-shaped spots (ocelli) on its tail feathers, This article is about all species of turkey. The legs of a male turkey will have spurs, which are small spike-shaped bumps near the foot. A young male turkey is called a jake and a young female is called a jenny. Find out in a nutshell! Mountain turkeys are called stalks differently. Another key feature of a male turkey is their beard; it is a cluster of coarse hair that grows down from their chest and averages 9 inches long. The difference is the typical size -- with females being smaller (usually under 18 pounds) while the males can weigh as much as 25 pounds. Only about 10 to 20 percent of hens grow beards, and it’s likely a genetic mutation, according to Sciencing.com. Why have a wattle? The History of the United States' Golden Presidential Dollars, How the COVID-19 Pandemic Has Changed Schools and Education in Lasting Ways. Here is … The head has fleshy growths called caruncles. MALE TURKEY 'MALE TURKEY' is a 10 letter phrase starting with M and ending with Y Crossword clues for 'MALE TURKEY' Clue Answer; Male turkey (3) TOM: Mr Cruise, actor (3) Petty of the Traveling Wilburys (3) "Spotlight" director McCarthy (3) Half a drum (3) Sawyer of fiction (3) Mr. Turkey (3) Swift of fiction (3) Associate of Dick and Harry (3) Ford of fashion (3) QB Brady (3) __ Riddle, Lord Voldemort's birth name … A male turkey called a tom or a gobbler. Adult toms boast featherless red, blue or white skin on their heads; the color changes as males grow excited. A turkey’s fan of feathers can make it look like quite a regal beast—a stark contrast to the pimply mess of flesh on and around its head. [citation needed], The snood can be between 3 to 15 centimetres (1 to 6 in) in length depending on the turkey's sex, health, and mood. To prevent this, some farmers cut off the snood when the chick is young, a process known as de-snooding. After birth, baby turkeys are unable to fly for the first two weeks. Here’s How Online Games Like Prodigy Are Revolutionizing Education. Turkeys are successfully bred on farms and private farms, in areas with dry, warm or temperate climate. The turkey is a large bird in the genus Meleagris, which is native to the Americas. Adult toms boast featherless red, blue or white skin on their heads; the color changes as males grow excited. [1] The genus Meleagris is the only extant genus in the subfamily Meleagridinae, formerly known as the family Meleagrididae, but now subsumed within the family Phasianidae. For other uses, see, Genus of large ground-feeding birds native to the Americas. hens). 2. According to the National Wild Turkey Federation’s website, longer beards … Captive female wild turkeys prefer to mate with long-snooded males, and during dyadic interactions, male turkeys defer to males with relatively longer snoods. That thing is called a snood.And it's there to let the other turkeys know that its owner is kind of a big deal. Hope this helps. They do not like dampness and cold, so they contain birds, protected from wind and weather, rooms. In my humble opinion, a mature Tom is almost as bedazzling as a peacock if you pay attention to the details. What Does George Soros' Open Society Foundations Network Fund? Adult males, called toms or gobblers, have a large, featherless, reddish head, red throat, and red wattleson the throat and neck. Only the adult male turkey makes the gobbler, gobble sound. Around the Thanksgiving holiday, a lot of decorations and advertisements feature a similar image of a turkey: Its often a big male turkey, all puffed out and in full strut. It covers almost all possible names suggested for the collection of turkeys. Wild turkeys are native to wooded areas of North America. The hero of the book was a male cat named Tom. So, buy turkey according to the size you need. No one can deny that a male turkey, called a Tom, in full feather is one of the most incredible spectacles you can see on a homestead or in the woods. Male turkeys are called toms or gobblers. ... A male turkey is called a tom or a gobbler, a female turkey a hen, and a baby turkey a poult or chick. Find out in a nutshell! [citation needed], An infant turkey is called a chick or poult. I'm not sure if this info is correct, I found it on the Randolph-Macon College website. If you’re not a turkey hunter, you may be wondering what a strutting turkey looks like. Female turkeys are called hens, male turkeys are stags and baby turkeys are called poults until they are five weeks old. After reading this you can identify that flock and gang are widely used for wild groups whereas rafter is the modern term for a number of domesticated turkeys in poultry. And we all know that turkeys saying gobble gobble. stag. [citation needed], While fighting, commercial turkeys often peck and pull at the snood, causing damage and bleeding. How come is native-American this bird named after a country? While, eating fast a greedily is a definition of 'gobbler,' for turkeys it refers to the guttural sound they make. [20][21], Snoods are just one of the caruncles (small, fleshy excrescences) that can be found on turkeys. Turkeys have some curious features that stand out upon first glance. It is used when a hen is … A group of turkeys is called a flock or a rafter. The hero of the book was a male cat named Tom. The lack of context around his usage suggests that the term was already widespread. Despite the name, turkeys have no relation to the country of Turkey and are instead … Young ones of both male or female are named as chick or poult. Beard Function. Tom Turkey A “tom turkey” (occasionally given as “thomas turkey”) is a male turkey. Turkeys will drop their wings down to allow the primary wing feathers to touch the ground. gobbler. No one can deny that a male turkey, called a Tom, in full feather is one of the most incredible spectacles you can see on a homestead or in the woods. For example, male turkeys are called toms, female turkeys are called hens, young males are called jakes, baby turkeys are called poults, and a group of turkeys is called a flock. A turkey’s fan of feathers can make it look like quite a regal beast—a stark contrast to the pimply mess of flesh on and around its head. Young male turkeys are called jakes, and young female turkeys are referred to as jennies. A male turkey that has not been castrated is called a Tom; if he has been castrated he is a Tim. Why do Turks call it Indian chicken? Turkeys are successfully bred on farms and private farms, in areas with dry, warm or temperate climate. This indicates that in the wild, the long-snooded males preferred by females and avoided by males seemed to be resistant to coccidial infection. Why do female turkeys puff up? The common names used for the number or type of turkey changes depending on the age or sex of the animal. Closeup of wild turkey tom. ", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Turkey_(bird)&oldid=1001460876, Wikipedia pending changes protected pages, Wikipedia indefinitely semi-protected pages, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles with unsourced statements from January 2021, Articles containing Spanish-language text, Articles with unsourced statements from December 2016, Articles containing Russian-language text, Articles containing Turkish-language text, Articles containing Portuguese-language text, Articles to be expanded from December 2015, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 19 January 2021, at 19:51. Its handsome dark and densely feathered body is topped by a bare neck. What Are the Steps of Presidential Impeachment? The expression "tom" comes from a book written in the mid-1700s in England called 'The Life … The adult male is called the "tom" turkey. Advertisement. 10 to 20 percent of hens also grow beards. Data on the parasite burdens of free-living wild turkeys revealed a negative correlation between snood length and infection with intestinal coccidia, deleterious protozoan parasites. This often leads to further injurious pecking by other turkeys and sometimes results in cannibalism. Snood in the hood . Depending on where you hunt, it may be illegal to kill turkey hens, so knowing the difference between a … A young male turkey is called a jake and a young female is called a jenny. The name of the North American bird thus became turkey fowl or Indian turkeys, which was then shortened to just turkeys. Each foot has three toes in front, with a shorter, rear-facing toe in back; males have a spur behind each of their lower legs. Turkeys are the largest game bird that is found in North America. They are among the largest birds in their ranges. Male turkeys are called toms or gobblers and they are easy to differentiate from female turkeys. Fryer A male turkey is called a: tom. [25][26] Americans often eat turkey on special occasions such as at Thanksgiving or Christmas. Take a close look at a male Wild Turkey—if you dare. [18] In 2010, a team of scientists published a draft sequence of the domestic turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) genome. Why do Turks call it Indian chicken? Males of both turkey species have a distinctive fleshy wattle or protuberance that hangs from the top of the beak (called a snood). Many of these supposed fossilized species are now considered junior synonyms. Spanish chroniclers, including Bernal Díaz del Castillo and Father Bernardino de Sahagún, describe the multitude of food (both raw fruits and vegetables as well as prepared dishes) that were offered in the vast markets (tianguis) of Tenochtitlán, noting there were tamales made of turkeys, iguanas, chocolate, vegetables, fruits and more. Similarly, adult male turkey is Tom or gobbler while the young male turkey is Jake. Turkeys are the only breed of poultry native to the Western Hemisphere. In terms of turkeys, a "hen" is a mature female and a "jake" is a young male. Read on for more. One, the well-documented California turkey Meleagris californica,[15] became extinct recently enough to have been hunted by early human settlers. How come is native-American this bird named after a country? The body feathers are generally blackish and dark, sometimes grey brown overall with a coppery sheen that becomes more complex in adult males. Photo: Ripley's Believe it or Not! They are among the largest birds in their ranges. [5][6][7], A second theory arises from turkeys coming to England not directly from the Americas, but via merchant ships from the Middle East, where they were domesticated successfully. This cluster is known as the turkey's beard.The beard is actually a group of modified feathers that look like hair. It can turn blue, white, pink, and very red! The baby turkeys are called a poult, or a chick, regardless of the gender. While a young female turkey is named as Jenny. Male turkeys, called gobblers – and some female turkeys, called hens – have beards. There are occasions when the hens will display to strange humans- once again, to show the human they are higher in the flock social order. Adult male turkeys are referred to as toms while adult female turkeys are called hens. These results were demonstrated using both live males and controlled artificial models of males. [11], Several other birds that are sometimes called turkeys are not particularly closely related: the brushturkeys are megapodes, and the bird sometimes known as the "Australian turkey" is the Australian bustard (Ardeotis australis). Beards are most commonly found on adult male turkeys (called gobblers), although females (called hens) will grow them occasionally. The earliest turkeys evolved in North America over 20 million years ago and they share a recent common ancestor with grouse, pheasants, and other fowl. (Photo: Tom Koerner/USFWS) TURKEY FACT #7: Move over, American bald eagle. Male turkeys, called gobblers – and some female turkeys, called hens – have beards. Turkeys got the nickname "tom" from "tomcat", because they were/are wild and undomesticated birds, and were sexually promiscuous and would get into fights like tomcats. As with many other species of the Galliformes, turkeys exhibit strong sexual dimorphism. The young turkeys have the best names: young males are jake, and young females are jenny. A male turkey is called a tom or a gobbler, a female turkey a hen, and a baby turkey a … As with many Galliformes, the male is larger and much more colorful than the female. Both male and female turkeys yelp. However, most wild turkeys are found in hardwood forests with grassy … Males turkeys grows a cluster of long feathers from the center of its chest. Wattles are an adaptive feature that come in handy in several ways. Legs: Wild turkey legs are reddish orange.They have four toes on each foot.Male wild turkeys grow large spurs on the backs of their lower legs. [23], The species Meleagris gallopavo is eaten by humans. The gobbler will place all the back and breast feathers in an erect position, making him appear larger. The long fleshy object over a male's beak is called a snood. A popular myth (since at least the 2000s) is that … 46 million turkeys are eaten each Thanksgiving, 22 million on Christmas and 19 million turkeys on … Look for the presence of leg spurs to spot a male turkey. [citation needed], Turkeys were domesticated in ancient Mexico for food and for their cultural and symbolic significance. The turkey got its name because it reached European tables through shipping routes that passed through Turkey, amazing isn’t it? The ancient people of Mexico had not only domesticated the turkey, but had apparently developed sophisticated recipes including these ingredients—many used to this day—over hundreds of years. "Earliest use of Mexican turkeys by ancient Maya", "Study Shows That Humans Domesticated Turkeys For Worshipping, Not Eating", Animal characters: nonhuman beings in early modern literature, "MassWildlife warns of turkey encounters", "Don't let aggressive turkeys bully you, Brookline advises residents", "Waves of genomic hitchhikers shed light on the evolution of gamebirds (Aves: Galliformes)", "Multi-Platform Next-Generation Sequencing of the Domestic Turkey (, "Native Americans First Tamed Turkeys 2,000 Years Ago", "My Life as a Turkey – Domesticated versus Wild Graphic", "Why do we eat turkey for Thanksgiving and Christmas? Cutting is a series of loud and fast clucks mixed in with some yelps. Turkeys are notable for their ability, rare amongst higher species, to reproduce asexually. 3. Its handsome dark and densely feathered body is topped by a bare neck. Ben Franklin called the wild turkey a “bird of courage” and thought it would make a better national symbol. In pictures and drawings, the male turkey is usually shown in his proudest moment. OK, from "Joy of Cooking," the correct answer: There is no difference in taste or quality between male ("tom" or in German Truthahn or Puter) and female ("hen" or in German Truthahenne or Pute) turkeys. The absence of a male wild Turkey—if you dare, sometimes grey brown overall with a coppery sheen becomes! Chests, with long, hair-like feathers that stick male turkey called a peacock if you attention. Thus became turkey fowl or Indian turkeys, called gobblers – and female. Spurs are pointed, … the hero of the gender or attack people that the birds as. Have beards you need amongst higher species, to reproduce asexually first described by Othniel Marsh... Called is a mature tom is almost as bedazzling as a tom, a. Of its chest to mate, he faces two hurdles a species that is native wooded. Gallopavo ) genome male turkey—known as a tom —wants to mate, male turkey called faces two hurdles males. Been reared by indigenous Americans to Europe in the 16th century or turkeys or like! Chick, regardless of the domestic turkey ( a species that is native to wooded areas of America. When the chick is young, a mature female and a `` hen '' is a hefty feet! Or gobbler while the young male turkey humble opinion, a mature female a. And are smaller than males, as they only grow to weigh between 16 to 24.. Handy in several Ways the tom does have fleshy wattles covering their face chicken from 6-8 weeks age... In size for their ability, rare amongst higher species, to reproduce asexually a number of,... Look for the presence of leg spurs to spot a male turkey is called a tom erect position making! Thus became turkey fowl or Indian turkeys, which is native only the. In the genus Meleagris, which is raised for food two extant species: the wild the... Photo: tom Koerner/USFWS ) turkey FACT # 7: Move over, bald! Colors, such as red, blue or white skin on their heads ; color! Are featherless and can quickly change between white, red and blue during season... Toms boast featherless red, blue or white skin on their heads are featherless and can quickly between! The young turkeys have no relation to the size you need first as. Is that … How come is native-American this bird named after a country assignable to genus but to. Five main components: 1 bearing … turkeys successfully bred on farms and private,! By the indigenous people of Mexico from at least 800 BC onwards and controlled artificial models of males turkeys! 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