Funny Colored Jakes

[Grasshopper]

I have some trail cam pics of some greyish looking jakes. Has anyone seen turkeys that arn't black, brown, or even white?? I'll post their picure on the new photos.

[riverdude]

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, can't say that I have. Can't wait to see the photo's.

[XX78]

Yes i have heard about it. It is becoming more commonplace apparently.



This pic was taken from a different ohio turkey hunting site:


http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee164/allflockedup/IM002295.jpg?t=1235143190

[riverdude]

Do I see two of them in the above photo? Not to be funny but kind of look like the color of a pegion?
Never seen a photo of one like that......what causes it?
Riverdude.

[riverdude]

Could this be what these Turkeys are? Just really curious........


Narragansett Turkeys


http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/Turkeys/NarraganTom.JPEG
A nice Narragansett tom
Photo courtesy of Phil Sponenberg of the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy (http://www.albc-usa.org/)

Following text with permission from
"Turkeys"
by Craig Russell
SPPA (http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/SPPA/SPPA.html) Bulletin, 1997, 2(4):4-5

. . . Historically, this was the turkey of New England. It takes its name from the Narragansett Bay area. Some authors have suggested an exotic origin for the Narragansett, suggesting it may have come originally from Mexico or Central America. While this suggestion seems to have little basis, some of its ancestry did come from that area, but by way of Europe. Such turkeys, crossed with local wild turkeys, produced the Narragansett. It could, in fact, be considered an intermediate step in the production of the Bronze. Early writers praised the quality of its meat as well as its egg production. I can't disagree with that, but perhaps I should warn you that this is my favorite turkey. It's an active bird; but when kept at liberty, doesn't wander too far from home. It is also a good mother. The pattern is similar to the Bronze (http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/Turkeys/BRKBBBronze.html), but bronze is replaced with steel gray and the brown in the tail is a lighter tan. The gray has a slightly golden or brown tint. . . . My preference for the Narragansett is based mostly on a calm disposition and size. A grown out young Narragansett will feed you, your family, your friends, your neighbors and a few people you don't even like, [whereas] even the standard Bronze is too much turkey for general use. At one time fanciers had developed a Silver Narragansett. In this variety, white replaced gray and tan. It was never accepted by the American Poultry Association and is very rare, although such sports appear from time to time in Narragansett flocks.

[Limbhanger]

There are some birds that have different color abberattions. The typical appearence of a wild turkey is the result of black, white and brown feathers. Variation in feather colors are know as color abberattions. Smoke Gray birds lack any brown coloration and are desribed as ghost-like in appearence.

Could be the explanation for the grayish one in the pic? There are also other colors too, like the Red phase or Eruyhsite, which have red coloration in the feathers instead of brown. Melanistic birds that are all black in color, and Albinos are all white.

[redcloud102]

Was on my way to Defiance on Sunday and seen a Turk that had some white splotches. I was heading up St. Rt. 23 just before Upper Sandusky. Was the first free range I seen that way. Wonder if it is because of the breeding program they had when they started releasing them out in the wild.

[Grasshopper]

I spoke with a friend from the state on the subject of grey birds. He advised me that this is referred to as smoke phase. Similar to the phases that black bears may appear as, (blonde, chocolate, & red.)

[XX78]

http://www.panwtf.org/shoover_2009.php

[muckem]

I've seen 3 of those in the area I'm going to be hunting this spring 2 years ago. Someone told me they were albino so I just figured that's just what a wild albino turkey looked like instead of all white. Glad to know the truth now. Hopefully ill are them again here soon.

[antiqucycle]

last fall in Harrison County, one birdie was white body, brown wings. I saw it several days.

[B-W D-end #94]

last year someone killed a supposedly albino tom about a mile from my house. I dont know if it was a domestic that escaped or if it was a real wild bird or what. It seems theres always a funny colored bird around. Silver is an interesting phase, never seen one before.

[jackalope]

for some reason everytime i see this title i read it as

funny colored jokes...


:dizzy:

[Grasshopper]

Now thats funny:D

[parrish]

Jack that is what I thought too....I was like oh no no no...this won't be good...than I read it again and was like phew!