The physical appearance of a turkey is defined by the prominent, fleshy structures adorning its head and neck. These brightly colored appendages are immediately noticeable, giving the bird a uniquely recognizable profile. The exact names and biological purposes of these distinct features are often confusing to observers. These structures are integral parts of the bird’s anatomy, playing specific roles tied directly to its survival and social behavior.
Naming the Distinct Features: Snood and Wattle
The long, fleshy projection that dangles from the turkey’s forehead, extending over the beak, is known as the snood. This appendage is highly variable in size and can shorten or lengthen dramatically depending on the bird’s mood or level of excitement. In male turkeys, or toms, the snood can extend several inches in length when the bird is displaying for a potential mate.
Another prominent feature is the wattle, which is the flap of red, bumpy skin that hangs from the throat or under the chin. The wattle is also referred to as a dewlap and is present in both male and female turkeys, though it is far more pronounced and voluminous in the male. Like the snood, the wattle’s color and turgidity are dynamic, instantly reflecting changes in the bird’s physiological state.
The snood and wattle are both composed of vascularized, modified skin tissue that plays a significant role in the turkey’s social interactions.
Caruncles and the Bare Skin
The bare skin covering the turkey’s head and neck is covered in small, bumpy growths called caruncles. These fleshy, nodular protuberances give the skin a wrinkled, wart-like texture. Caruncles vary in size from small bumps to larger, bulbous masses, particularly at the base of the neck.
The skin on the head and upper neck of the turkey naturally lacks the dense feathering found on the rest of its body. This unfeathered condition serves a protective function in the wild, as it helps prevent the accumulation of parasites in an area frequently used for feeding and fighting.
The bare skin is highly vascularized, containing many blood vessels close to the surface. This thin skin allows the turkey to rapidly change the color of its head and neck in response to emotion or social cues. The visible colors—which shift between red, white, and blue—are caused by the constriction or dilation of these blood vessels. An influx of blood causes the skin to flush bright red, while reduced blood flow results in a paler, sometimes bluish or whitish, appearance.
Function in Display and Health
The combination of the snood, wattle, and caruncles serves multiple biological purposes, primarily communication and display. During courtship, the size and vivid color of the male turkey’s appendages are linked to sexual selection. Hens prefer toms with longer snoods, which often correlates with a lower parasite load and superior health.
The bright red and blue coloration of the head and neck are a form of honest signaling to both potential mates and rivals. A vibrant, engorged wattle and snood indicate high testosterone levels and a robust physical condition to a hen. Conversely, a male with a pale, shrunken snood might be perceived as less dominant or unhealthy by other turkeys.
The bare, vascularized skin also plays a significant role in thermoregulation, controlling the turkey’s body temperature. Because turkeys do not sweat, they must dissipate excess heat through other means, especially on warm days. The large surface area of the wattles and bare skin allows blood to cool more quickly as it flows close to the air.
Any change in the appearance of these features serves as an immediate indicator of the bird’s internal state. A turkey that is ill or severely stressed will often exhibit pale or noticeably shrunken snoods and wattles. The physical condition and color of these structures provide a real-time assessment of the turkey’s fitness and dominance within its social group.