What Happened?

[yoderjac]

I got multiple pictures of this unique turkey this spring.

I don't know if this is a cross with a domestic or simply an unusual color. Either way, I was often on camera strutting for hens.

On 3/20 I was at the farm and found white feathers scattered on one of my fields. A few were broken but most intact. I presumed it was his wing feathers. I looked and found no brown feathers of any kind anywhere around.

What happened? Did he molt at this time of year? Did he get in a dominance fight and lose the feathers? Was he predated? I have not seen him on camera since.

Make your guest before scrolling to the next post.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[Apple Junkie]

My guess is he was molting.

 

[yoderjac]

I don't know if this is the answer or not, but I got this picture the night before I was at the farm:

It appears to be a fox chasing something. Given the size, general shape and where I see white, I wonder if this is that gobbler being chased at night? Maybe an owl hit him off the branch and the fox is following up or maybe the fox itself jumped him off the branch. If it was some kind of crossbreed rather than an unusual coloration, perhaps he can't fly and was roosting on the ground.

Thoughts?

Thanks,

Jack

 

[Apple Junkie]

Mr. Fox just became a prime suspect in the case of the scattered white feathers!! Too bad, I kinda like the unique coloration on that Tom.

 

[Mozark]

Your tom looks like a bourbon red cross. We have raised heritage breed turkeys for a lot of years, they always molt in the fall. If you find feathers in March, not good.

 

[yoderjac]

Your tom looks like a bourbon red cross. We have raised heritage breed turkeys for a lot of years, they always molt in the fall. If you find feathers in March, not good.

Thanks for that info. Maybe there is someone in the area raising heritage breeds. It was certainly a cool looking bird! Here is a close-up. Maybe it will help confirm your ID.

Thanks,

Jack