The female wild turkey, known as the hen, communicates through a complex vocabulary of sounds. Turkey vocalization is not limited to the tom’s famous gobble; the hen uses a distinct set of calls to manage her flock, locate mates, and signal danger. Understanding these sounds helps interpret the daily interactions and behaviors of wild turkeys. The hen’s language is characterized by specific acoustic properties, each conveying a precise message that holds the entire flock together.
The Core Vocalizations of the Hen
The most recognizable sound a hen makes is the yelp, a series of single-note vocalizations delivered in a steady cadence. A standard plain yelp typically consists of three to seven notes, repeated at a consistent pitch and volume about one second apart. This sound serves as a general locator call, letting other turkeys know her position. The yelp’s acoustic quality is notably clean and clear, distinguishing it from the male’s coarser versions.
The cluck is a short, sharp, staccato note that hens use frequently, often in a sequence of two or three quick bursts. This sound is generally soft and conversational, employed when turkeys are feeding or moving casually through the woods. Unlike the drawn-out yelp, the cluck is a brief, one-syllable sound used for close-range communication between individuals. A specialized cluck, called a cutt, is an intensified version involving a rapid, loud, and erratic burst of notes that signals excitement.
The putt is a single-note sound delivered with greater intensity than a cluck, and is almost always a sign of alertness or alarm. The hen also utilizes a soft, rolling call known as the purr, a low-volume sound that can travel only a short distance. This purr is often made while the hen is foraging or settling into a roost for the night.
The Meaning Behind the Calls
The context in which a hen uses the yelp dictates its specific meaning. An assembly yelp, for example, is a much louder and longer sequence, sometimes containing twenty or more notes, that the hen uses to gather her scattered young, or poults, in the fall. This intense quality is an effort to restore the flock’s cohesion after a disturbance. Conversely, a mating yelp is a slower, more deliberate sequence used in the spring to advertise her presence to a tom.
The cluck serves as a reassuring form of contact, particularly when a hen is near a potential mate or other flock members. It lets an approaching tom know she is receptive. Hens also use a specialized version of the yelp known as the tree call, a series of soft, muffled yelps and clucks given while the birds are still on the roost in the early morning. This quiet communication allows the flock to coordinate their wake-up and fly-down time.
When a hen feels threatened, the sharp, single-note putt is her immediate warning signal. If the danger is close or persistent, the bird will often repeat the putt rapidly, signaling that the flock should flee. The soft purr is a close-range communication that helps maintain spatial relations between birds while feeding. The excited, loud cutt is usually a sign of dominance or a challenge to other hens, but it can also show high excitement in response to a nearby gobble.
How Hen Sounds Differ from Toms
The most significant difference between the hen and the tom is the absence of the gobble in the female’s repertoire. The gobble is the male’s long-distance mating call, used to announce his presence and attract hens.
The hen’s yelp is higher-pitched, cleaner, and faster in cadence than the male’s yelp. When a tom yelps, his call is noticeably deeper, slower, and has a rougher, more raspy quality to its tone. This difference in vocal structure makes it easy to distinguish the sex of the bird making the call. The tom also possesses non-vocal sounds that hens do not, such as the drumming and spitting noise he makes during his strutting display.
The cluck and putt sounds, which both sexes use, differ slightly in their acoustic signature. The male’s version is often deeper and more guttural.