What Does a Turkey Look Like? Identifying Wild Turkeys by Their Unique Features

Very large game bird. Displaying males look almost spherical, with naked, red-and-blue head and fanned tail.

Very large game bird with long neck and legs. Females are dark brown overall with even darker barring.

Very large game bird with small, unfeathered head covered with blue and red wattles. Displaying males give a throaty, jumbled call known as a “gobble.”

Often roosts in trees. These heavy birds fly short distances to take cover. Takes flight with a flurry of loud, labored wingbeats.

Very large game bird. Females have bare skin on the head and are dark brown overall, with a coppery sheen to the rump and tail. When open, the wings show white barring.

Juveniles can leave the nest upon hatching, but mothers care for their young into the first fall.

At sundown turkeys fly into the lower limbs of trees and then move upward to a high roost spot. They usually roost in flocks, but sometimes individually.

Occurs in woods mixed with open country; often forages by scratching in leaf litter. Females and adult males typically form separate flocks; female flocks can be up to 30 in summer, larger in winter.

Wild turkeys are a fascinating and iconic North American bird. With their large size, distinctive plumage, and interesting behaviors, it’s no wonder these birds capture people’s attention. But if you’ve never seen one up close, you may be wondering – what does a turkey really look like?

Size, Shape, and Proportions

Turkeys are very large birds – in fact they’re one of the biggest birds found in North America. An adult male (called a tom) typically ranges from 3 to 4 feet tall and weighs 16 to 24 pounds. Females (called hens) are smaller but still reach 2 to 3 feet tall and weigh 8 to 10 pounds.

Turkeys have small heads on long, slim necks. Their bodies are plump and rounded with broad, fan-shaped tails. Their wings are relatively short and rounded compared to their body size. When standing, turkeys have a very upright posture on strong legs. Their toes end in thick, curved claws used for scratching and digging. Overall, wild turkeys have a front-heavy, teardrop-shaped silhouette.

Plumage and Coloration

Wild turkeys sport a variety of colors and patterns in their plumage. In general, their feathers are iridescent and range from bronze to coppery-green, with both sexes showing similar overall coloration.

However, the most striking colors are limited to the males. Toms have naked heads that can be bright red, white, blue, or pinkish. Long fleshy growths called wattles hang from their beaks, while a fleshy protrusion on top of their beak is called a snood. These skin flaps can range from red to blue.

Hens have feathered heads that are blue-gray to brown. Their tail feathers have a coppery sheen When the hen spreads her wings, the white barring pattern underneath is visible In flight, wild turkeys reveal rainbow iridescence in their wing feathers.

Juveniles resemble adult females but with darker brown, buffy feathers. As they mature, the males begin growing the fleshy head appendages, eventually taking on the almost completely bare head of adult toms.

Interesting Features and Behaviors

Beyond their size and colors, wild turkeys have several other distinctive features and habits that aid in identification:

Fanned tail: Courting males face away from females and erect their tail feathers into a full, circular fan, revealing the broad white banding.
Gobbling call: Male turkeys vocalize with a loud, rambling “gobble” that can carry over a mile.
Roosting: Turkeys fly up into trees at night to roost in groups. Their dark silhouettes perched on branches are a characteristic sight.
Foraging style: Turkeys walk along the ground pecking and scratching with their feet to uncover food items like acorns, seeds, and insects.
Wary nature: These birds are very alert and cautious, keeping a lookout for potential predators. If alarmed, they run away or explode into flight with loud wingbeats.

Habitats

Originally found in mature hardwood forests, turkeys are highly adaptable and now thrive in mixed habitats. You may spot them in woodlands, shrublands, pastures, backyards, and agricultural areas. They need dense cover for night roosting and more open areas for feeding. Abundant oak trees provide a favored food source.

Range and Population

Wild turkeys are found throughout much of the central and eastern United States, as well as parts of California, the Pacific Northwest, Hawaii, southern Canada, and Mexico. They have been successfully reintroduced to much of their historical range after overhunting caused declines in the early 20th century. Today they number around 7 million birds.

Identification Made Easy

With their large size, iridescent plumage, and bareheaded males, wild turkeys are a distinctive North American bird. Their unique features, behaviors, habitats, and range help set them apart from other birds. A glimpse of their fan-shaped tail or a listen for their loud gobbles makes identification straightforward. Keep an eye out for these fascinating fowl!

what does turkey look like

Looking for ID Help?

Our free app offers quick ID help with global coverage.

Or Browse Bird Guide by Family or Shape

Need Bird ID Help? Try Merlin

Amazing Places to Visit in Turkey – Travel Video

FAQ

How does a real turkey look?

Gobblers have a featherless, red head (sometimes with blue and white coloring, too) with prominent wattle and fleshy, red growths (called caruncles) on their neck. They also have a “beard”—a tuft of black, hair-like strands—protruding from their chest.

Is a turkey a bird or a chicken?

turkey, either of two species of birds classified as members of either the family Phasianidae or Meleagrididae (order Galliformes). The best known is the common turkey (Meleagris gallopavo), a native game bird of North America that has been widely domesticated for the table.

How do you spot a turkey?

Identification. Adult male eastern wild turkeys are black or blackish-bronze with white wing bars, blackish-brown tail feathers, and a blueish-gray to red head. These “Toms” weigh about 16–25 pounds. They typically sport a 6–10 inch hair-like “beard” which protrudes from the upper chest.

What color is a real turkey?

Wild Turkeys have the deep, rich brown and black feathers that most people associate with turkeys. In completely opposite fashion, domestic turkeys are normally white in color, an intentional product of domestication because white pin feathers are less noticeable on the carcass.