(this is from April 3, 2009, so looks like they're right on schedule...)
He was trotting after females, of course, as the group skirted our house. Of course they saw us, so I didn't get a good shot. Apparently, turkeys have amazing eyesight, three times better than ours in daylight, tho' I cannot find a really solid (as in scientific study) source confirming this.
(Deer paying much more attention to bb crouching under a huge oak than the turkey was.)
While trying to find that citation (still looking, if you find one lemmeno via comments) I came this cool factoid at about.com:
"The wild turkey’s bald head can change color in seconds with excitement or emotion. The birds’ heads can be red, pink, white or blue."
(this is from April 5th, 2009, just about the same time of year.
pardon blurry smears from kitty nose prints on glass)
I had NO idea about this. And considering I'm a total sucker for cuttlefish (inCREDible manipulators of color), my interest is officially piqued.
I'm guessing the (sky blue) mood in the above photo translates to:
"I am SPEC-TAC-U-LAR!!!"
Hard to argue. =)
Welcome, Dancers of Spring!
=) bb
Enjoyed your post. We're waiting for our snow to melt here in Maine--then maybe our flock will be "active" too! They've been enjoying the birdseed from our porch feeders these last couple of months. It was nice to have "models" so close, since I just finished a children's picture book about them that will be out in the Fall.
ReplyDeleteHow nice to see them so close! And congrats on your upcoming book! =)
ReplyDeleteI think this is a wealy wooed post!
ReplyDeleteI must have a wild turkey's head. All the color changes are especially awful when I have to speak in front of a group.
ReplyDeleteChristine in Alaska, no wild turkeys
You guys crack me up =) @CB: I have a friend who would flush and blotch so much when he presented, folks would stop him and ask if he was okay. Poor thing! =)
ReplyDelete