TurkeyPhotos

T.R. Michels Outdoor Photography

Eagles, Sandhill Cranes, Swans, Sunrise / Sunset, Scenic

Bighorn Sheep, Mountain Goat, Bison, Elk, Mule Deer, Coyote, Fox, Wildflowers, Scenic

Trinity Mountain Outdoors Photography

Ducks, Geese, Swans, Songbirds, Upland Game Birds, Wading Birds, Shorebirds, Eagles, Falcons, Hawks, Owls, Elk, Bighorn Sheep, Moose, Mountain Goat, Mule Deer, Whitetail Deer, Coyote, Mountain Lion, Red & Gray Fox, Wolves, Wildflowers, Scenic, Sunrise / Sunset

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We offer Natural History Eco-tours & Photography Trips to several State and National Parks and other areas for Bighorn Sheep, Elk, Mule Deer, Mountain Goat, Moose, Wild Turkey, White-tailed Deer; $200 per person per day; maximum of 4 persons.

Wildflower & Scenery Photography Tours; $20 per person for 1-3 hours; minimum of 2 persons.

For more information contact T.R. Michels at Trinity Mountain Outdoor Adventures.

We offer 8x11 and larger photographs.

Order a 2007 Calendar of these Photos

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To purchase photos contact T.R. Michels.

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Turkey

Wild Turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) are a large grouse-like bird reaching lengths of 17 inches, with weights of large mature males reaching 25 pounds. Their heads and upper necks have very few feathers, and the males are able to change the colors of the head and neck from white, to blue and red.

During the spring mating season (March- June) the males or "toms" as they are called, fan their tails, fluff up the feathers of their chest by inflating the air sack underneath the skin of the chest, tuck in their heads and drag their wings o n the ground to proclaim dominance and attract the females. They also gobble loudly, and use air from their inflated air sacks to "spit" (a loud exhale) and "boom" (often incorrectly referred to as drumming) in their attempts to mate with the females.

There were originally six subspecies of the Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) in North America and one related species, the Ocellated Turkey (Meleagris ocellata) in Central America. The originally discovered subspecies (M. gallopavo gallopavo) is now extinct due to hunting. Of the other five subspecies only the Gould's Turkey is in danger; it occurs in extreme southwest New Mexico, southeast Arizona and adjacent regions of Mexico. It is listed on the endangered species list.

The Eastern Turkey (M. g .silvestris) is the most widely distributed subspecies of the wild turkey. It occurs east of the Missouri River to the Atlantic ocean, the southern and western parts of Minnesota, the eastern third of Kansas and Oklahoma, and eastern Texas and northern Florida. The Florida subspecies (M. g. osceola) occurs in the southern portion of Florida. The Rio Grande (M. g. intermedia) subspecies occurs mainly in the western portions of Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas, with transplants in small portions of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Utah and South Dakota. The Merriam's (M. g. merriami) subspecies occurs in South Dakota, and portions of most of the mountain states from Canada to Mexico. Hybrid or intergrade turkeys are found in areas where two or more subspecies occur; these birds may exhibit characteristics of one or the other subspecies, characteristics of both subspecies, or characteristics between the two subspecies.

Listen to a Turkey Gobble

Most of these photos were taken on our Wild Turkey Tours and Photography Trips in southern Minnesota.

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Turkey Strut 6624

Turkey Semi Strut 6622

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Turkey 0502, jake (1-year old male) note the short beard.

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Turkey Dominance Fight

The photo sequence below is of a dominance fight that occurred between two tom turkeys on April 6, 2008. It lasted over 20 minutes and finally ended 75 yards from where it began, when one of the toms finally gave in and ran off. During the fight the birds performed the "fighting purr" and the "whine", while they jumped up in the air and spurred each other, slapped each other with their wings, and grabbed the skin of the neck of the other bird with their beak. As you can see - the other males were quite interested in the fight. In 7 years of turkey research and photography - I've never seen a fight last this long. I consider myself lucky to have been able to witness it, and photograph and video parts of it.