How Do You Tell The Difference Between Male & Female Turkeys?

With only six different species of wild turkey, sex identification of this bird is relatively easy, especially later in the year when the male turkeys have fully developed. Telling the difference between male and female turkeys is important to turkey hunters, who must follow hunting regulations regarding which sex can be harvested during turkey hunting season. View the turkeys from a distance with a pair of binoculars or a scope. If possible, take zoomed-in pictures of the turkeys with a camera. Look first at the head of the turkey. You will notice that the turkeys' heads are mostly featherless. The colors of the heads will help you to identify the sex of each turkey. Female, or hens, will have grayish blue heads while the male, or gobbler, has a more brightly colored head, often with a lot of red. This makes the males more noticeable, while the females have a few feathers on their neck and heads for camouflage. Additionally, gobbler's heads will change colors during breeding season, ...  more