A turkey’s sense of hearing is truly remarkable. Their ability to detect sounds from great distances and pinpoint the exact location is unmatched in the animal world. But just how good is a turkey’s hearing? And how can this knowledge help turkey hunters be more successful?
The Turkey’s Ear Structure
Turkeys do not have external ear flaps like mammals. However, their inner ear structure is specialized for detecting sounds. The cochlea contains the organ of hearing and is well-developed in turkeys. The hair cells within the cochlea convert sound waves into nerve impulses that are sent to the brain.
Turkeys also have a large eardrum, called the tympanic membrane, that is sensitive to vibrations. Together, these anatomical features allow turkeys to detect a wide range of sound frequencies and volumes.
Range of Hearing
Studies have shown that the hearing range for turkeys is between 1 and 4 kHz, with peak sensitivity around 2-3 kHz. This corresponds to the dominant frequencies of turkey vocalizations. For comparison, the human hearing range is typically 20 Hz to 20 kHz.
So how far away can a turkey hear? Turkeys can detect noises over surprising distances
- Gobbles can be heard over a mile away on a calm morning.
- Hens yelping can be detected from several hundred yards away.
- Alarm putts and clucks can be heard from 500+ yards away.
Even soft clucks and subtle sounds from over 50 yards away may alert a turkey. Their hearing is very acute even in windy conditions when hunters struggle to hear gobbles.
Sound Localization
But it’s not just the range of hearing that is remarkable. Turkeys have an excellent ability to pinpoint the source of sounds, a trait critical for avoiding predators.
They can locate the origin of calls within just a few degrees out to distances of over 100 yards away. By turning their head and using their eyes, they can rapidly hone in on sound sources.
Their directional hearing allows them to determine if calls come from a live hen or a hunter’s device, They also recognize when sounds don’t match – like when a hunter’s footsteps don’t align with call sounds
Implications for Hunting
A turkey’s super-powered hearing has several implications for hunters:
- Assume your calls can be heard from several hundred yards away, even if you don’t hear a response. Be patient.
- Avoid excess calling. Loud, aggressive calling may attract birds, but don’t overcall.
- Use a realistic hen pitch and cadence when calling. Erratic or loud calling can arouse suspicion.
- When setting up, consider wind direction and how far sound may travel. Get as close as you can.
- Make sure your decoy setup matches your calling direction. Their hearing will detect any mismatches.
- Remain utterly still when calling and listening. Your noises will be detected.
- Don’t assume you are hidden just because a turkey is facing away. It can still hear you.
While wild turkeys have a reputation for their keen eyesight, their hearing is even more acute. Understanding the range and precision of a turkey’s hearing can help hunters be more successful in the spring woods. With patience and proper setup, you can use their hearing abilities against them.
Key Facts on Turkey Hearing:
- Hearing range of 1 – 4 kHz, optimized for turkey calls
- Can hear and pinpoint calls from several hundred yards away
- Excellent sound localization out to 100+ yards
- Uses hearing to detect dangers when eyes are busy feeding
- Anatomy includes sensitive eardrum and inner ear structures
- Hearing works even in windy conditions unlike hunters
- Unnatural sounds and mismatches are quickly noticed
So the next time you’re tempted to snap a branch or shuffle your feet, remember that a turkey’s ears are likely listening! A turkey truly has some of the finest hearing in the animal kingdom.
SURPRISE: Wild Turkeys Do NOT Hear What We Hear! Let’s Talk About It.
Finding out the real deal about how good the hearing of wild turkeys is became quite a challenge. For starters, like baseline, wild turkey gobblers and hens can communicate with each other vocally as much as a mile away.
Actually, I already knew that. About 20 years ago I was hunting in a double bull portable ground blind and heard gobbles from as far away as I could hear. I took out a Woodhaven Doug Crabtree Signature v-cut mouth call and blasted away as loud as I could.
In a few minutes I realized that the gobbles were becoming even louder. Still faint really, but noticeably louder. I continued yelping and clucking with every bit of volume that I cold muster. Half and hour of gobbling and calling later I noticed movement on the far edge of the field, 1,000 yards away.
And I glassed 3 mature longbeards, gobbling away..
I grabbed a few more mouth calls and called. Call was easier now because I could see them and gauge their reactions. Soon they got to a long fence line that came straight to where my blind, and me, were waiting. Finally they were 100 yards away and they paused. I cut my volume and Cut excitedly. One of the gobblers pulled out ahead of the other two, hurry
Turkey’s do not hear what we hear. What sounds great to you or I might sound horrible to them … or they might not hear it at all!
Volume is decibles (dB). Tone frequency is hertz (Hz) Decible Sound Pressure Level is (dB SPL)
The range of frequencies that a turkey with good hearing can hear is 290 Hz to 5,250 Hz. Humans with good hearing hear a range from 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz.
Both humans and turkeys hearing frequency range declines with age.
The optimum dB SPL is15.43 Most calls are louder than that and above the pain threshold.
The best heard frequency by turkeys is 2,000 Hz
If you are using calls with a frequency higher than 5,250 Hz the turkeys cant hear it! They may feel pressure on their ear but they won’t hear it. The only response could be a shock. You wouldn’t be calling them but you could be shocking them.
Numerous Crystal, glass, aluminum, ceramic and slate calls are higher than 5,250 Hz and above 15.43 dB SPL. Some turkeys calling can call at frequencies that turkeys cant hear.
Every call that I tested was also to loud. Way out of the dB range.
Maybe that is a reason why you get toms gobbling and going away from you? You aren’t calling them you are shocking them!
Turkey Hunting: Can You Hear the Thunder?
FAQ
How far away can a turkey hear your call?
The bottom line is that if you can hear a bird gobble, no matter how far away, that bird can hear your calls and can be worked.
Do turkeys have good hearing?
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Acute sense:Turkeys have exceptionally good hearing, often described as being much better than humans.
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Low frequency detection:They can hear lower frequencies than humans, which may allow them to detect approaching storms or earthquakes.
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Sound localization:Turkeys are skilled at pinpointing the direction a sound is coming from.
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No external ear:Unlike many mammals, turkeys lack a visible outer ear, but their ear openings are still highly sensitive.
How far off can you hear a turkey gobble?
Listen for spitting and drumming, which you can hear up to 80 yards away during a calm day. By zeroing in on an all’s-clear gobble or drumming, you locate the bird and can get up and move confidently.
How far can you hear a turkey drumming?
Turkeys almost always spit and drum when they strut but also do it when not strutting. Unlike a gobble that can carry up to a mile, the ruffling feathers and spit and drum sounds can be difficult for humans to hear beyond a hundred yards, even in the best conditions.
How far can you hear a Turkey sound?
That same “twice-as-far” rule applies to all other turkey sounds. A gobbler in an open field will sound clear and can generally be heard twice as far as a gobbler in timber. Judging distance and coursing sound are other factors in turkey hunting success. Hearing a turkey sound and identifying that sound is step one.
How do I hear more turkeys?
Learning what to listen for is the first step to hearing more turkeys. The gobble of the wild turkey is one of the most unique sounds in nature. To the experienced turkey hunter there is no other sound that can be confused with a gobble. To the novice it is a sound that can be hard to discern, especially when it is far away.
Do wild turkeys hear a lot?
Dickson’s compilation of wild turkey experts reveals that a wild turkey’s hearing is acute, although its external ear lacks a flap, or pinna, which concentrates sound waves. Field observations suggests turkeys hear lower-frequency and more distant sounds than humans. “Touch comes into play primarily for feeding,” Eriksen said.
Do turkeys have ear lobes?
What that means is that they probably can hear tones that are too low or high for us to hear. Unlike us humans, turkeys do not have ear lobes (called pinnae) to gather in the sounds. The purpose of an earlobe is to help gather the sound in so it is easier to hear. If you have a dog, watch them as they adjust their ears to hear sounds.
How does a wild turkey respond to a sound?
Wild turkeys have an uncanny ability to locate the source of a sound. When they identify a noise, their immediate response is to look in the direction of the sound, allowing them to react quickly to predators or other environmental factors.” Outstanding hearing is an asset to all prey species.
How do you know if a Turkey is near you?
To the novice it is a sound that can be hard to discern, especially when it is far away. Even harder to detect are the more subtle sounds made by turkeys such as drumming, yelps, and scratching in leaves. All these sounds can tell you that turkeys are near.