Weird Turkey

[Jim Jackson]

Scouting for sheds yesterday afternoon, and I saw/heard something weird.  It started out with a gobble just over the ridge.  I snuck up on top and checked things out with binoculars.  I saw a group of hens being chased by the oddest looking gobbler I have ever seen.  First off, it was February 24, which seems way early for gobbling to begin.  He was in full strut off and on, bright red head.  His plumage was the biggest thing out of place.  Large bird, full dark plumage but streaked all throughout with white.  Imagine painting a dark wall with white paint from a brush almost out of paint. White/silver highlights would be the best way to describe it.  Overall dark, but with noticable streaking.  That is the way he looked all over.  His tail was almost like a Merriams, the tips of the fan had lots of white.  Never seen anything like it in the ozarks.  Unfortunately I didn't have a camera with me, but will be on the lookout for him from now on.

Is this some odd partial albinism, or a domestic cross?  I'll definitely be on the lookout for him during season, but he seems fully in the mode right now.  Anyone seen a bird like this before?

[Roy Steele]

Yes I have about 10 years ago I saw a hen that looked just like that.There not crossed or they would'nt live very long in the wild.I think there just some sort of color through back that happens every so many turkeys.Once saw a hatch out chick that had a lot of white.Turn out to be a gobbler a friend killed him when he was 2 he had a 8" beard.

[indianalongbowshooter]

Ive seen a few hens around here with the same look, must be albinism..up close their eyes were wierd looking also...seen one hen that was almost white with orange looking eyes.

[Don Stokes]

It's not uncommon in my area to see flocks with a "white" hen. They're not really white, more off-white with buff tips on their feathers. It's called a silver phase. I've never seen a silver gobbler, or one with a mix of white and normal feathers. That would be a unique trophy, for sure!

[whitebuffalo]

I've seen them too. Vey interesting bird,, I kinda always thought maybe they got bred with a white farm turkey,,If there is such a thing,,LOL,,

[huntswithwidow]

I believe what you are referring to is a "Ghost Phase". Not sure by your description though. They look greyish.

[NorthernCaliforniaHunter]

Within the city limits of Santa Rosa, CA, there is a flock of turkeys that has several all white members and others of the striped/splotched white you describe. I have photographed them (I'll see if I can dig up the pictures) but I can't hunt them. Nothing is predating them so I wonder what will come of that particular gene pool. Doesn't seem like it'd be a good mutation to have.

[Divinecedar]

Sounds like a cross with a domestic Narragansett to me:

 http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/Turkeys/BRKJiylda.html

[OkKeith]

I have seen turkeys like this in two different public places I hunt, and on my hunting lease. They look like giant pigeons to me with all the buff,off-white and grey.

I don't know about other places, but the ones around here are not crosses with domestics, just a genetic quirk, a color phase. Few of them make it to old age because their ability to avoid predators is less due to the lighter color. Enough do make it and breed to keep that portion of the genetic pool viable.

My experience tells me that they seem to occur more around here where the ranges of Eastern and Rio Grande birds overlap. My hunting lease is such a place. A buddy shot a light colored tom 2 years ago. Pretty cool looking. Tasted just fine.

What is wierder to me is the 2 peacocks that run with the turkeys on our lease. We have seen them for several years now, but always with the jakes.

Wonder what THEY taste like...

OkKeith

[jacobsladder]

Not that uncommon to see a few around here... im not sure what causes it..but the local bird hunters call them "smokies"...kind of gray with white ...looks like smoke...

[STOBBER]

I'm glad you brought this up...i just saw a giant tom about 2 months ago that was solid white , i figures he was a domestic but after watching a little closer i could see some mottling in his plumage......really a beautiful bird,,,,just odd. He was with a flock of 18 hens and 2 jakes.

[Robhood23]

One of the farms I hunt has a turkey farm right across the road. At least once a year we see a wierd one that is white and black and just cool looking. We always assumed that somehow they were cross breeding. Someday I hope we can call one in! We did call in a Peacock once, got it on film, pretty cool. We have no idea where that thing came from, no peacocks on any of the farms around!

[BEN]

I have a flock of Turkeys that occasionally walks through my woods behind my house that has  3 of the white variety hens in the group. Not solid white, but "painted" throughout their body!
they really look cool but my sorry attempts at turkey hunting hunting for 2 years left alot to be desired and I just gave up. Just doesn't "do it" for me that deer hunting or even squirrel hunting does.

Ben

[huntswithwidow]

I have seen an Albino in Wyoming, a Coffee Colored, and the Ghost Phase, all genetic mutations in areas with high population densities.