Demystifying the Bearded Hen: Uncovering the Rarity and Significance of Turkey’s Fascinating Females

Wild Turkeys are spectacular birds, coming in an array of colors and sporting a variety of eye-popping appendages. The wattle—the colorful flap of bare skin hanging from a turkey’s head—may be the most familiar feature to folks. Both it and the fleshy growth on a male’s forehead and bill, called a snood, turn brilliant hues of pink, red, white, and blue when males display during the breeding season.

But in addition to all that flashy flesh, there’s another curious trait that turkeys tout: their beards. Turkey beards are plumes of dark brown or black feathers—more hair-like than a typical feather—that protrude from the bird’s chest. “If you had it in your hand, it has the consistency of a miniature horsetail,” says Gary Norman, a retired gamebird biologist at Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries.

While all toms—adult male turkeys—have beards, nearly 10 percent of hens also have one, albeit a much stubbier, wispier version. Why only some females have beards is not known, but male beards are believed to be yet another tool for mate selection. They can “indicate dominance and health,” says Kelsey Sullivan, a gamebird specialist with the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.

The bearded hen stands as one of the most intriguing oddities in the wild turkey world. While beards are the signature feature of male turkeys, known as toms or gobblers, a small percentage of hens also sprout these unusual plumage displays. For many, encountering a bearded hen in the field prompts questions about just how rare they are and what role they play in turkey ecology.

What is a Bearded Hen?

A bearded hen is simply a female wild turkey that grows a beard. Beards emerge from a point on the skin called a papillae, located on the upper breast. All turkeys have papillae, but beard growth mainly occurs in males when testosterone triggers the feathers to sprout during adolescence For reasons not fully understood, a minority of hens also develop beards

These beards resemble miniature versions of the toms’ facial bristles. Most range from 6 to 8 inches long, around half the thickness of a mature gobbler’s beard. While rare, some extraordinary hens may grow beards over 9 inches long.

How Uncommon are Bearded Hens?

Bearded hens occur infrequently but regularly across wild turkey populations Overall, around 10 percent of hens grow beards. However, beard rates vary between turkey subspecies and regions

For example, nearly 20 percent of Merriam’s hen turkeys in the mountainous West sport beards. Meanwhile, fewer than 2 percent of Florida’s Osceola hens develop them. Genetics likely play a key role.

Biologists also find higher beard rates in adult hens compared to juveniles. In one study of banded Eastern turkeys, 14 percent of adults had beards while only 1 percent of juvenile hens did. This mainly reflects detection issues, as young hens’ beards remain too small to notice at first.

The Bearded Hen’s Reproductive Role

A common misconception holds that bearded hens cannot successfully mate and raise young. In reality, bearded hens exhibit normal reproductive biology and behaviors.

They breed, lay clutches, incubate eggs, and raise poults like any other hen. Their beards have no bearing on fertility or parenting abilities. Nor do bearded hens seem predisposed to producing more bearded offspring than non-bearded hens.

So while intriguing, the bearded hen’s rarity means its beard has negligible impacts on wild turkey reproduction and populations overall. These fascinating females remain valued contributors.

Conservation Considerations

Since bearded hens are reproductively vital, yet uncommon, wildlife managers urge caution in hunting them. Removing too many risks hindering population growth and stability.

However, shooting some bearded hens poses little danger for thriving stocks. Turkey populations fluctuate based on habitat conditions, predation, and nest success far more than hunting. Still, passing on bearded hens when possible seems the wisest, most conscientious choice.

The Allure of the Bearded Hen

While offering minimal hunting challenges, the bearded hen holds a mystique for bird enthusiasts, hunters, and biologists alike. Its scarcity and incongruity with standard turkey gender norms offer a unique thrill in observation.

For hunters, bearded hens also present an ethical decision – to shoot or not to shoot. Despite their legal status as fair game, many choose sparing these special birds for their relative rarity. Yet for others, the chance at an uncommon trophy trumps all else.

Either way, the bearded hen remains one of nature’s wonders – a subtle reminder that even the wild can surprise us if we look close enough. Its rarity is a call to curiosity, not destruction.

Turkey Hunting: Bearded Hen (RARE!)

FAQ

What are the odds of a bearded hen turkey?

The most beards ever found on a turkey was 13! Scientists have estimated that approximately 10% of hens will have beards. They are almost always very thin and rarely get over 8 inches.

How rare is a 3 bearded turkey?

“Multiple beards on a bird is not a common occurrence, with estimates suggesting that less than 10% of toms sport more than one beard,” said Dr. Mike Chamberlain, our favorite wild turkey researcher, from the University of Georgia. Beards grow from a papilla—an oval-shaped, raised part of the skin on a turkey’s breast.

Do some female turkeys have beards?

A small proportion of female turkeys may have a beard and therefore can be legally harvested. However, their loss reduces the reproductive potential of the turkey population.

Can a bearded hen turkey reproduce?

Bearded hens also breed, lay eggs, and raise broods. Many state regulations allow you to shoot a bearded spring hen, but we say let them walk.