Determining the sex of wild turkeys is an important skill for hunters to avoid mistakenly harvesting hens. While male and female turkeys have some obvious differences, identifying gender can also be subtle and require close observation This guide covers techniques for distinguishing toms from hens in the field
Look at Physical Size and Weight
The most noticeable difference between male and female turkeys is their size On average, mature toms weigh 20-30 pounds while hens weigh 8-12 pounds Toms have thicker legs and a stockier overall build compared to the slender frame of hens. Focus on body proportions – a turkey’s physique can appear misleading depending on how fluffed up its feathers are.
Check for Leg Spurs
Only male turkeys grow spurs, bony protrusions on the legs used for fighting other toms. Spurs typically exceed half an inch on mature males. Jakes (young males) have smaller spurs less than half an inch. Be aware that in rare cases old hens may develop short spurs.
Look for a Beard
While both male and female turkeys can grow beards, the beard feathers on a tom’s chest are usually longer and thicker. An adult tom’s beard averages over 6 inches while a hen’s is under 6 inches. Some hens lack beards entirely. The longest beard is the official measurement, even if there are multiple beards present.
Observe Head Color and Features
A tom’s head and neck appear more vividly colored. The head can have white, blue, and reddish hues. Hens have mostly blue and blue-gray heads. Also note that toms have more bumps and growths on the head and throat called caruncles. They sport larger wattles under the neck as well.
Notice Tail Feathers
Mature male turkeys have longer, wider tail feathers that they use for fanning out and displaying. Their main tail feathers are generally around 20 inches long. Hens have shorter, thinner tails. However, be aware that hen and jake tail sizes may overlap depending on age.
Watch for Strutting and Gobbling
During breeding season, male turkeys are very vocal and visual when seeking mates. Pay attention for signature gobbling calls and ostentatious strutting with fanned tail feathers and puffed out wings. Such courtship behavior is rare among females. Still, some hens may strut to show dominance.
Consider Plumage Differences
In general, toms flaunt more iridescent, colorful feathering. Hens have more subdued, camouflaged plumage. Focus on the neck, chest, and tail — toms exhibit especially vibrant feathers in these areas. However, feather luster can fade on males after the spring mating season.
Be Wary of Immature Birds
Gender identification takes finesse and experience with young turkeys under one year old. Immature males (jakes) and females have fewer distinguishing markers. Size and build offer the best early clues. Wait until other physical differences fully emerge in adulthood before definitive gender determination.
Use Clues from Group Dynamics
Observing turkey flock interactions can supplement physical and behavioral evaluations. Typically, one dominant male rules over a harem of several hens. Males act aggressive toward each other. And the boldest bird is often the alpha male. But flock dynamics are not 100% reliable for judging gender.
Avoid Relying on Specific Features Alone
No single factor provides definitive proof of a turkey’s sex — the evidence must be weighed collectively. For example, hen turkeys sometimes grow small beards, vocalize, and strut. And jakes lack full male features. Use multiple distinguishing characteristics together for an accurate assessment.
Take a Patient, Conservative Approach
When gender remains uncertain, refrain from shooting. Bide your time until confirmation. You may need to watch the turkey display more behaviors or wait until it separates from its flock for closer inspection. If identification is still unclear, let the turkey move along unharmed.
Practice Gender Identification Well Before the Season
Study tom and hen differences extensively through guides, videos, photos, and in-person observations on scouting trips. Test your skill at classifying wild turkeys correctly while they are still at a distance. Sharpening your eye takes diligence well before opening day.
Summary
Distinguishing male from female wild turkeys involves close scrutiny of size, plumage, head anatomy, vocalizations, mannerisms, spurs, and beards. Do not depend on any single characteristic. Take a comprehensive approach using multiple indicators to make positive gender identification before deciding whether or not to legally harvest a bird. Proper sex determination requires patience and a careful, conservative effort.
Turkey Basics-Gobblers and Hens
Let’s begin with the basics of distinguishing male wild turkeys (gobblers) from females (hens).
Gobblers are larger-bodied birds, with a darker coloration, at times appearing almost black. In bright sunlight, their feathers cast a brilliant bronze or metallic iridescence. 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.
On adult gobblers (called toms), the beard can be 7-9 inches or more in length, but on young gobblers (called jakes) the beard is <6 inches long. Typically, gobblers hang out away from hens during the summer since they take no part in raising young.
Hens are more brown in coloration and smaller in size than gobblers. They have a head that is more blue-gray in appearance, often with feathers continuing up the back of the head.
Occasionally hens will have a beard, but it is thinner than on gobblers and is quite often kinked. Hens can also have some feather iridescence, but not to the same extent as gobblers.
How many gobblers and hens do you see in this picture?
2 gobblers (both jakes, note the larger size, less-feathered red heads, and tiny stubble of a beard protruding from the chest of the jake on the right), 4 hens (one mostly hidden behind a jake, but you still can clearly see the typical head of a hen turkey poking out), 1 unknown. If we were here in person live, the birds would move about and we could probably determine that the unknown is another jake, but given what we can see in this photo, it’s best to just call this partially obstructed bird an unknown.
Poults develop very quickly (they must in order not to be eaten!) and feather types, appearance, and body size change rapidly as they age. Based on these characteristics, we can estimate the age of poults. For simplicity, we divide poults into three age classes.
1 week old or younger. Poults that are no more than about a week old are still covered with downy feathers and are very small (<5-6 inches tall). They look like little puff balls about the size of your fist.
Turkey Poult Class 1
2-5 weeks old. Poults in this class have grown longer wing feathers, but still are mostly covered with downy feathers on their body and still lack long tail feathers. They are about 6-10 inches tall, similar in size to a Blue Jay. In appearance, they look to be all wings (which is good because it means now they can fly into low trees to escape ground predators). Poults on the older end of this age class will have started to grow some juvenile plumage on their bodies, but still have short tail feathers.
Hen with class 2 age group poults
Hen with older class 2 age-group poult (borderline class 3)
Hen with class 2 age group poults
6-8 weeks or older. Poults early in this stage still have some down feathers occurring on the neck and head, but their body is covered with juvenile type contour feathers. They have visible tail feathers now, black-and-white barred wing feathers are emerging, and they stand about 10-12 inches tall, similar in size to a crow or a chicken. By about 8 weeks of age, poults are beginning to grow new “adult” looking body feathers and will have a mixture of juvenile feathers and adult feathers on their body. They are about half the size of the hen and will continue to grow to almost the same size as the hen by the end of the summer. Turkey Poults
Because they are very similar in size, late in the summer it can be very challenging to determine if a group of similar-sized turkeys is a flock of hens without poults or a hen and her older-age-class brood. If you’re unsure, it’s best to mark them as unknowns.
How to tell the difference between a Tom and a hen turkey
FAQ
How can you tell if a turkey is a tom or hen?
The tom has a snood, large caruncles, carunculate (bumpy) skin around the face, and a pronounced beard. The hen does not. Gobblers also have sharp spurs on the back of their legs and hens do not.
How do I tell if my turkey is male or female?
The easiest way to determine the turkey’s sex is by examining the feathers on the breast and sides of the turkey. On males, these feathers have black tips. The feather tips are brown on females. or, examine its vent, which is located beneath its tail and between its legs.
What does turkey tom look like?
He has a bright red head, long spurs, and… a beard. This “beard” is a small cluster of bristles that sprouts from the bird’s chest plumage. It looks like a misplaced ponytail. The older the tom, the longer the beard.
What’s better, Tom turkey or hen turkey?
Most those in the industry feel that a hen is better tasting and more tender than a tom turkey. Much as to do with personal preference. Tom turkeys have larger bones and less edible portions, which may be reason for hens as preference by most.
How do you know if a Turkey is a hen or a Tom?
The head and neck of a turkey are key features to look for when trying to differentiate between a hen and a tom turkey. Male wild turkeys, also known as toms, have a larger head and a longer neck than female turkeys, or hens. Toms have a fleshy protuberance on their head called a snood, which can change size depending on the turkey’s mood.
What is the difference between a hen and a tom turkey?
Hens, on the other hand, have smaller heads with a blue-gray coloration, and their feathers are more muted in color. They also lack the prominent snood and beard of the tom turkey. Male turkeys are known for their distinctive gobbling calls, which they use to attract females during mating season.
How do you tell a Tom from a hen?
Notice the mostly blue hue of the hen’s head on the left vs the red, white, and blue head of the tom on the right. The tom also has a much larger snood. The head is a great way to differentiate a tom from a hen as you will likely be focused on the head. A tom’s head will be a combination of red, white, and blue.
How do you know if a Turkey is male or female?
The main difference is that a male turkey’s strut is accompanied by an elongated snood and a thumping sound from its chest, which swoons the hens that are ready for breeding. Social behavior is another smart way to tell male and female turkeys apart, especially poults.
Does a hen have spurs like a Tom?
A hen, as shown above, does not have spurs like a tom. However, there are many other ways to tell a hen from a tom. For the most part, only toms and jakes grow spurs or “hooks”. In fact, spurs provide a rough estimate of the age of the tom. The theory is that the longer the spur, the older the turkey.
Are Toms bigger than hens?
Toms are bigger than hens. They typically run 11 to 24 pounds. A hen weighs from 5 to 12 pounds. The heaviest tom on record is 37.6 pounds. Toms are also usually a bit longer than hens. The largest toms can be over four feet in length while the longest hens are usually just over three feet in length.