Wild turkeys have incredible eyesight. Their ability to sense a predator, like a hunter leaning back against a tree, is uncanny. Turkey vision can seem even supernatural at times. But really, it’s just a combination of evolution and physiology. There’s still plenty we don’t know about how turkeys see, but researchers have uncovered plenty of interesting facts, many of which can be useful to hunters.
We know that a turkey’s vision is three times sharper than our own. They can also see nearly eight times farther than we can, and their color vision is far more enhanced than ours. Turkey vision has evolved over the course of millions of years to help them spot predators, locate mates, and identify challengers. Understanding how turkeys see and perceive danger just might help improve your hunting setups this spring.
As spring turkey season approaches, many hunters have a burning question can turkeys see blaze orange? The answer has important implications for hunter safety and success
After analyzing the research, it seems turkeys can see orange to some degree, but it may not spook them as much as you’d think. Here’s what science and experience show about turkeys and blaze orange.
Turkeys Have Excellent Color Vision
There’s no doubt about it – turkeys have amazing color vision compared to humans. Their eyes have four types of color cones, allowing them to see more hues than we can.
This extra color perception evolved to help turkeys find food, choose mates, and spot predators If something looks unnatural in their environment, like a block of fluorescent orange, they’ll notice it
So yes, turkeys can physically see blaze orange. But that doesn’t mean it will send them running.
Motion Matters More Than Color
Turkeys rely on their eyesight to detect danger. But several studies show they are far more sensitive to movement and shapes than color tones.
In one experiment, hunters wore full blaze orange with a camo face net and sat still in the woods. Turkeys walked within feet of them, seemingly unbothered by the orange jackets.
Why? The turkeys focused on the lack of movement, not the strange color. They perceived no threat.
So blaze orange alone is unlikely to spook turkeys if you remain still. Quick motions will flush them, no matter what color you’re wearing.
Consider Turkey Behavior
Mature gobblers are extremely wary, while jakes and hens may be more tolerant of odd sights. Still, even dominant toms seem to ignore blaze orange when it isn’t moving.
Turkeys also see bright orange vegetation like oak leaves in the fall. While orange clothing may look unnatural, it doesn’t immediately signal danger to them.
Finally, turkeys have relatively poor depth perception due to their wide field of vision. Blaze orange may register as a distant, meaningless blob if you sit perfectly still.
Use Blaze Orange Strategically
Given turkeys’ focus on movement over color, blaze orange can be an effective safety strategy if used correctly while turkey hunting. Here are some tips:
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Wear an orange hat or vest when walking to your hunting spot in low light. Remove it and sit completely still once settled.
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Tie an orange bandana high in your tree stand where it can be seen from a distance. Keep your body concealed in camo below.
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Carry an orange vest to wave if you need to alert another hunter to your position. Don’t wave it randomly.
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Stick an orange hat or flag in bushes behind your setup so other hunters see you from angles the turkeys can’t.
Blaze orange is crucial for fall turkey hunting with lots of deer hunter traffic. With smart strategies, you can use it without ruining your camouflage during spring gobbler season.
The science shows turkeys notice orange but don’t inherently fear it. A blaze orange safety system combined with total motion discipline is your best approach for an effective hunt.
Turkeys Can See Color–Better Than Us
Of all the vertebrate species on the planet today, birds have the most complex retinas. Accordingly, they perceive a larger and richer spectrum of colors than humans and other mammals do.
Without getting too deep into eyeball science, the human retina has four types of photoreceptors, consisting of one rod and three single cones. Rods help us see in low light, while cones help convert light into color signals, allowing us to see short, moderate, and long wavelengths of blue, green, and red.
A turkey’s retina, on the other hand, has seven different types of photoreceptors: one rod, four single cones, and two double cones. This allows turkeys (and other birds) to see a spectrum of colors that are imperceptible to the naked human eye.
Dr. Chamberlain tells Outdoor Life that there’s some debate among the scientific community about whether or not turkeys can see in the UV spectrum. Regardless, he says, their color vision is “extremely acute.” This gives the birds another advantage when scanning their surroundings for predators.
“They can just pinpoint colors so well,” Chamberlain says. “Blues, blacks, and other things in their environment that may not look natural, they can pick these out immediately.”
The importance of color goes beyond predator detection, however. Hen turkeys use their enhanced color vision to seek out mates, as the fitter, more dominant toms are always more colorful than the others.
A strutting tom makes his presence known. Adobe stock
“If you’re a dominant male, you’re going to breed more than a subordinate tom,” Chamberlain explains. “They’re more fit and more aggressive. They have longer snoods, more colorful heads, and more iridescence [in their feathers].”
Turkeys also have the amazing ability to change their head color to communicate and express emotions, like when a strutting gobbler’s head transitions from bluish-white to a bright reddish color.
Turkeys Can See in All Directions at Once
When it comes to keeping an eye out for predators, a wild turkey’s greatest asset is its ability to see in all directions at once. Turkeys have monocular vision, which means their eyeballs function independently of one another. (As opposed to our own binocular vision that uses both eyes in concert.) This gives the birds a 270-degree field of vision when their heads are perfectly still. But as most turkey hunters know, this is rarely the case.
“If you pay attention, [turkeys] turn their heads constantly. And because their eyes are working independently, that offers them a 360-degree field of view,” says Dr. Mike Chamberlain, a Distinguished Professor at the University of Georgia who’s been researching wild turkeys for the past 30 years. “Whereas you and I have peripheral vision, but we can’t see above or behind us, turkeys can. By changing their head posture constantly, it allows their eyes to pick up movement as two independent periscopes.”
Chamberlain says turkeys also rely on their keen sense of hearing to augment their vision. Working in combination, these two senses allow them to quickly and accurately pinpoint potential predators and other turkeys.
“Their hearing is the same in the sense that each ear registers the sound independently and transmits it to their brain. Coupled with their vision, they can hear something, look in that direction, and they can pinpoint exactly where that sound is coming from,” he explains. “That’s why they have that uncanny ability [to locate other birds]. You call at them from the tree, and ten minutes later they’re standing right there at the tree.”
The biggest trade-off for being able to see in all directions at once is that turkeys don’t have clear depth perception. The classic turkey head bob helps with this shortcoming, according to The Wild Turkey: Biology and Management, a book that was published in 1992 by the National Wild Turkey Federation and edited by Dr. James G. Dickson.
“Though the three dimensions of space cannot be clearly perceived,” Dickson writes, “the turkey can determine relative distances by a slight turning of its head and viewing an object at different angles.”
5 Things to Know about the Turkey’s Vision
FAQ
Can turkeys see orange?
What colors can turkey see?
What degree of vision do turkeys have?
Can turkeys see a red flashlight?
Do turkeys have binocular vision?
Turkeys have monocular vision, which means their eyeballs function independently of one another. (As opposed to our own binocular vision that uses both eyes in concert.) This gives the birds a 270-degree field of vision when their heads are perfectly still. But as most turkey hunters know, this is rarely the case.
Do turkeys see better than humans?
The professor adds that turkeys also feature outstanding color vision, having more photoreceptors than humans, and they even flaunt a sensitivity to wavelengths near the UVA range. In short, turkeys see colors, patterns, and shapes differently than people and that results in their amazing ability to detect danger.
Can a wild turkey see in all directions?
When it comes to keeping an eye out for predators, a wild turkey’s greatest asset is its ability to see in all directions at once. Turkeys have monocular vision, which means their eyeballs function independently of one another. (As opposed to our own binocular vision that uses both eyes in concert.)
What kind of vision do turkeys have?
Turkeys have what is called monocular periscopic vision. They have situated in the opposite sides of their heads, this means their eyes are used separately and they can see two objects at once. This kind of vision gives them a broader field view but less depth perception.