Turkeys are large birds native to North America that are a popular centerpiece for holiday meals. While we often just refer to them generically as “turkeys” male and female turkeys actually have distinct names. So what is the name of a male turkey?
There are a few different terms used to refer to male turkeys, depending on their age
Gobbler
The most common name for a male turkey of any age is a gobbler. This name refers to the distinctive “gobble” call that male turkeys make.
Gobblers use their loud, resonating calls to attract females during mating season and to communicate with other males. The gobble call carries for over a mile and is unique to male turkeys. So any turkey making the gobble call can be referred to as a gobbler.
Tom
Another common name for an adult male turkey is a tom. This is similar to referring to a male cat as a tomcat.
Toms are mature male turkeys that are at least one year old. At this age, they have fully developed feathers, spurs on their legs, and vibrant head colors used for mating displays. Toms also tend to be much larger than female hens, weighing 16-24 pounds on average.
Jake
A young male turkey under one year old is referred to as a jake. Jake turkeys are not yet fully mature, though they will start to develop male plumage and other characteristics.
Jakes are usually smaller than adult toms with less vibrant feathers. Their tail feathers may only have partial coloring compared to a fully fanned tom’s tail. Jakes are also less likely to gobble.
Once a jake turkey reaches about 18 months old, it will become a fully mature tom. So “jake” refers specifically to a young, adolescent male turkey.
Poult
The term poult can be used to refer to both male and female baby turkeys. Poults have downy plumage and are only a few weeks old.
At this stage, it’s very difficult to distinguish between male and female turkeys. So all baby turkeys can simply be called poults until they mature and develop gender specific characteristics.
Once a poult has reached 4-5 months old, you’ll be able to identify whether it is a male jake or female hen based on emerging differences like feather coloring and tail plumage.
Identifying Mature Toms
So how can you easily identify a full grown tom turkey vs a younger jake? Here are some key characteristics of mature male gobblers:
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Size – Toms are significantly larger than hens, weighing 16-24 lbs on average compared to 8-10 lbs for hens. Larger body size is a key sign of a mature male.
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Spurs – Long, sharp spurs will protrude from the legs of a tom turkey, used for fighting other males. Jakes may have small spurs, but a tom’s will be over 1 inch long.
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Feathers – Toms have shiny, iridescent bronze and green feathers on their body and especially the tail. The tail fan of a tom spreads upward of 8-10 inches.
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Head – A tom’s head will be fully feathered and often red, white and blue in color. Toms also have a fleshy growth on their beak called a snood which is much longer than a hen’s.
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Gobble – As mentioned before, only male turkeys gobble, so hearing this resonant call is a sure sign of a tom. Jakes may make raspy calls, but cannot fully gobble.
The Four Keys to ID
- Size & ShapeWild Turkeys are very large, plump birds with long legs, wide, rounded tails, and a small head on a long, slim neck.
Relative Size
One of our largest and heaviest birds; smaller than a Trumpeter Swan; about twice the size (and four times as heavy) as a Ring-necked Pheasant.
goose-sized or largerMeasurements
- Both Sexes
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- Length: 43.3-45.3 in (110-115 cm)
- Weight: 88.2-381.0 oz (2500-10800 g)
- Wingspan: 49.2-56.7 in (125-144 cm)
© D. Bruce Yolton / Macaulay Library
- Color PatternTurkeys are dark overall with a bronze-green iridescence to most of their plumage. Their wings are dark, boldly barred with white. Their rump and tail feathers are broadly tipped with rusty or white. The bare skin of the head and neck varies from red to blue to gray.
© Brian McKenney / Macaulay Library
- BehaviorTurkeys travel in flocks and search on the ground for nuts, berries, insects, and snails. They use their strong feet to scratch leaf litter out of the way. In early spring, males gather in clearings to perform courtship displays. They puff up their body feathers, flare their tails into a vertical fan, and strut slowly while giving a characteristic gobbling call. At night, turkeys fly up into trees to roost in groups.© Tim Laman / Macaulay Library
- HabitatWild Turkeys live in mature forests, particularly nut trees such as oak, hickory, or beech, interspersed with edges and fields. You may also see them along roads and in woodsy backyards. After being hunted out of large parts of their range, turkeys were reintroduced and are numerous once again.
© Michael J Good / Macaulay Library
Wild Turkeys in the Rocky Mountains tend to have whitish tips to the rump and tail feathers, whereas other populations have rusty or chestnut tail tips.
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How the Turkey Got its Name!
FAQ
Why is a male turkey called a tom?
What is the male and female name of turkey?
What is a male turkey called in England?
Is a male turkey called a Jenny?
What is a group of turkeys called?
A group of turkeys is called a flock. Some folks may tell you that a group of turkeys is called a rafter, but much like a “murder of crows” it’s not really used by researchers or in common language, only by folks who like to show off their knowledge of obscure trivia from very old books (like the Book of Saint Albans 1486).
What are the differences between male and female turkeys?
In some birds, the differences between males and females are quite obvious. Others might take a DNA test to know for sure. Turkeys fall somewhere in between. Domestic turkeys tend to be a bit harder to sex than wild ones, especially when they are young. Keep reading to learn about the differences between male and female turkeys! Visual Differences
What does a female Turkey look like?
In females that do have spurs or beards, these will usually be smaller than what male turkeys have. Female wild turkeys have blue or blue-gray-colored heads with little to no red. Unlike male wild turkeys, females rarely strut or fluff up their feathers. They yelp and cluck rather than gobble. Domestic Turkeys: Male vs Female
Are domestic turkeys male or female?
Domestic turkeys are generally raised for meat, as breeders, or kept as pets. Unlike wild turkeys, male and female domestic turkeys generally have very similar coloring, especially when they are babies. Like wild turkeys, male domestic turkeys are significantly larger than females.