Tom Turkey looking for food – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/1250, ISO 500, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
Two days ago I spotted a Wild Turkey tom crossing a dirt road high up in the Stansbury Mountains and to my delight there were several more males following behind him. The turkeys didn’t seem to be in a hurry so I was able to take photos of them as they foraged, walked around and looked directly at my camera.
Walking Tom Turkey – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/1250, ISO 500, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
The morning light on the Wild Turkey was at a good angle so I was able to capture the iridescence of the feathers on many of the large upland game birds.
Wild Turkey Tom strutting his stuff – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/1600, ISO 500, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
The turkeys were close enough that I was able to take frame filling images of them that showed off their long beards and spurs.
Wild Turkey male in West Desert mountains – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/1250, ISO 500, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
Some of the male turkeys were more colorful than the other toms and I tried to focus on them more frequently than the others. I liked how this one had some metallic green and red tones on his upper chest and neck.
Colorful Wild Turkey male – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/2500, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR, natural light
I had just taken off my teleconverter when this tom walked past because some of the other turkeys were getting too close for me to fit them in my view finder.
This male turkey was the most colorful of them all and may be the most colorful tom I have ever seen or photographed here in Utah. He was stunning.
Very dark Wild Turkey male – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/1600, ISO 500, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
I found it interesting that there was also an oddly dark tom turkey in the small group of males that showed very little of the colorful iridescence that the other toms had.
Dark Wild Turkey male – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/2000, ISO 500, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
Most of the iridescence that I saw on this turkey was on his neck, nape and upper back. His chest and sides showed very little color if any at all in some areas.
Alert dark Wild Turkey male – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/1600, ISO 500, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
It still puzzles me because this tom was positioned at basically the same light angle as the other toms but he still was darker and showed far less iridescence than all the other turkeys.
Comparing a dark Wild Turkey male to a more colorful male – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/2500, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR, natural light
I wish I had been able to get both of these males in focus but I think this photo shows the darkness and lack of colorful iridescence of the dark tom turkey compared to the more colorful tom in the background. The dark tom turkey isn’t melanistic but there certainly is something uniquely interesting about him especially when compared to the more colorful males of this small flock.
It was great to see and photograph these cooperative tom turkeys.
Life is good.
Mia
Click here to see more of my Wild Turkey photos plus facts and information about this species.
Marvelous study of wild turkey’s. They are actually quite regal in their bearing. Thanks Mia.
Yet again you show me things I cannot imagine seeing for myself. Thank you.
They are such beautiful birds. Have you read the book or watched the documentary by Joe Hutto, My Life as a Turkey? I so want his life style! We came close when Haley was a teen, she became the house sparrow expert for the rehab. We had up to 60 sparrows living with us at a time. Most were releasable but a few were not and stayed their life spans with us. One was an imprinted female that came to us imprinted and named Lucky. She taught us sparrow language and she understood us. Like Joe Hutto, when we lost her 10 years later, we felt no longer part of the flock. It was a sad transition for us.
Great photos!
Wonderful series of shots. Would the darker Wild Turkey tom have been one getting on in years?