The beard on a turkey is one of the most distinctive features of wild turkeys This unusual tuft of modified feathers grows from the center of the chest on most male turkeys and some females, But what exactly is a turkey’s beard and why do they have them? Let’s take a closer look at this intriguing anatomical feature
What Does a Turkey’s Beard Look Like?
A turkey’s beard resembles a tuft or tassel of long, hair-like feathers emerging from the middle of the breast. It typically grows to around 6 to 12 inches in length, though beards longer than a foot are not uncommon
The beard consists of slender, specialized feathers that are black or very dark brown. They have a coarse, wirey texture rather than the smooth, soft barbs of regular feathers. Some people describe turkey beards as resembling a horse’s tail.
In younger male turkeys, called jakes, the beard may only be a couple inches long. It grows steadily each year, reaching its full length by the time a turkey is 4 or 5 years old. Older males tend to have the longest beards.
Why Do Male Turkeys Have Beards?
The beard is unique to male turkeys, also called toms or gobblers. It develops as a secondary sex characteristic when male turkeys reach sexual maturity.
Researchers believe the beard plays a role in mate attraction and breeding displays. During courtship, male turkeys will fully erect their beards to show them off to females. Dominant, virile toms typically boast the largest and most impressive beards.
The beard signals a male’s status, age, health, and physical condition. Hens appear to prefer males with long, vibrant beards, which indicates the tom’s robust genetic traits. A beard can demonstrate that a male has survived many years and seasons, suggesting he has superior fitness.
So the beard helps male turkeys attract mates and outcompete younger males during the breeding season. It is an ornament that evinces their biological fitness.
Why Do Some Female Turkeys Have Beards?
While nearly all male turkeys grow beards, some females will also develop one. Around 10% of female turkeys, called hens, have small beards.
A hen’s beard looks quite different than a tom’s. It is typically thinner, shorter and wispier. Most are just a few inches long, rarely exceeding 6 to 8 inches.
Scientists aren’t certain why some females grow beards. One theory suggests it relates to past conservation efforts. When wild turkey populations were severely depleted in the 1900s, wildlife agencies trapped and transported turkeys to reintroduce them in areas they’d disappeared. If more bearded hens were unintentionally captured, it could have spread the beard gene into populations where it was previously less common.
The beard gene likely persists in some populations simply because it is not detrimental enough to be bred out. Though its purpose remains a mystery, the hen’s beard does not seem to inhibit survival or reproduction.
Turkey Beard Growth and Loss
Turkey beards begin growing when males are around 5 months old. The beard emerges from a feather follicle in the center of the breast, Above this primary beard, some toms will grow additional smaller beards vertically up the breast. But most only have one prominent beard.
Beards are made of keratin, the same protein found in hair and fingernails. They grow continuously at a rate of approximately 5 inches per year. Beard length can surpass 12 inches in older males.
While beards grow indefinitely, turkeys also experience beard loss. The long feathers can break off from the weight of snow and ice in winter. Beards may also weaken and shed if the turkey has a nutrient deficiency. And the tips fray from dragging along the ground as the bird feeds.
Because beards fall out and re-grow, length is not a perfect indicator of age. But biologists consider 10-12 inches a benchmark of maturity in male turkeys.
Hunting and Displaying Turkey Beards
For hunters who harvest a turkey, the beard is a prized trophy. Hunters remove beards by cutting as close to the skin as possible, leaving a small patch attached. The beard is then dried and displayed along with the fanned tail feathers.
To dry a beard for displaying, coat it thoroughly with borax and allow it to fully dry in an undisturbed spot. Don’t try to just rip off the beard; this can damage the integrity. Instead, carefully cut it at the base.
Many hunters proudly showcase beards from their harvested birds. The length becomes a bragging point and a symbol of success. An 8 to 10 inch beard is considered a respectable trophy, while anything over a foot is noteworthy.
Even without hunting, it’s fascinating to observe the variation of beard lengths across turkeys. Next time you spot these large wild birds, take a moment to appreciate their unusual feathers. The beard is one of the wild turkey’s most unique adaptations.
Key Facts About Turkey Beards
- Beards consist of specialized, hair-like feathers growing from the center of the breast
- Male turkeys grow beards starting around 5 months old as a secondary sex characteristic
- Beards likely help attract mates and signal a male’s fitness during breeding
- Average beard length is 6 to 12 inches; over 12 inches is rare
- Turkey beards grow continuously, at about 5 inches per year
- Loss occurs from breakage and shedding throughout the year
- Around 10% of female turkeys also grow small wispy beards
- Beards are dried, preserved and displayed by hunters as prized trophies
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.
Multi Bearded Turkey & Turkey Beard Fun Facts
FAQ
What is the purpose of a beard on a turkey?
The beard of a make turkey has a texture similar to a thick monofilament fishing line, and is used to attract hens.May 10, 2022
What is a turkey’s beard called?
The wattle—the colorful flap of bare skin hanging from a turkey’s head—may be the most familiar feature to folks.Nov 18, 2022
Is the beard on a turkey male or female?
The turkey “beard” is not a reliable indicator of sex.
Many males, including jakes (one-year-old males) have short beards that are difficult to see. Up to 10 percent of hens will have thin 6- to 8-inch beards.
What causes a turkey to have multiple beards?
Beards grow from a papilla—an oval-shaped, raised part of the skin on a turkey’s breast. Most male turkeys have just one papilla. For every papilla a turkey grows, an additional beard develops. And, although hen turkeys also have papilla, they just don’t usually express it.