Page 154 - Hand rearing birds second

Wild Turkeys, Quail, Grouse, and Pheasants 139

Galliformes Glossary

Beard: Stiff feathers on the chest of a tom turkey but occasionally a female as well.
●
Caruncles: Fleshy bumps on the neck of a turkey that turn red with excitement. Both males and
●
females have caruncles.
Hen: Female turkey (Figure 8.1) and other game birds.
●
Jake: Young male wild turkeys under 1 year of age.
●
Jenny: Young female wild turkey under 1 year of age.
●
Lek: Area where birds gather for courtship displays to attract mates. Game birds including grouse
●
use leks.
Poult: Young wild turkey under 6 months of age.
●
Roost: Congregation or gathering of turkeys in trees, usually for safely and nighttime protection.
●
Snood: Fleshy bump on the face of a turkey above the beak, which inflates by becoming engorged
●
with fluid. Both males and females have a snood.
Spurs: Are used in defense. Made from keratin and situated on the leg of many Galliformes.
●
Strut: Tom turkeys’ flagrant courtship ritual to attract hens.
●
Tom: Adult male turkey.
●
Criteria for Intervention
Regulating agencies may have rules discouraging the rehabilitation of game birds or hatching eggs
of disturbed nests. Check with wildlife officials in the area to clarify responses to the public.

Figure 8.1 Wild turkey hens are smaller
than males. They have the same features on
their head and neck as males, however
those features – the snood, caruncles, and
dewlap – are less pronounced on hens than
on males.