Nebraskaland

MARCH 2017 • NEBRASKAland 61 Turkeys of a Different Feather Unique trophies in our turkey populations. By Justin Haag O ne of Nebraska's greatest wildlife management success stories is that of the wild turkey. Although wild turkeys became absent from the state's landscape by 1915, reintroductions of birds beginning midway through that century have resulted in booming populations throughout the state. Nebraska now boasts birds with characteristics of three different subspecies, and the many hybrids, that were released – Merriam's, Rio Grande and Eastern. Now, even within flocks of those birds a specimen will occasionally stand out. While photographing turkeys throughout the Panhandle, I've been fortunate on several occasions to stumble upon a gray or white turkey mixed among the flocks. The birds, which may be mistaken as domestics or albinos to casual observers, are most likely the result of genetics, say turkey experts. Because of recessive genes and mutations, as many as four unique color variations from common plumage may be found in the wild – the smoke-phase or smoky-gray, erythritic or red phase, melanistic or black phase, and albinos. Of those color variations, smoke-phase turkeys, which are predominately gray or white, are the most common and especially stand out when among a group of dark-feathered birds. The appearance of smoke-phase, technically known as leucistic, turkeys differ, but most have variation of light and dark within their feathers just as normal looking wild turkeys do. Is it possible that some "Butterballs" are running with the wild crowd? Interbreeding between wild and domestic birds may occur on occasion, but the great majority of the birds derive from wild turkeys, said Jeff Lusk, the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission's upland game program manager. One estimate says one percent of any given wild turkey population will be smoke-phase, but the percentage is certain to be higher or lower depending on a flock's genetics. A group of about 90 birds that I photographed last winter had three smoke-phase birds. Hunters often harvest birds with these unique colorations if the opportunity arises, and Lusk said they shouldn't feel guilty for doing so. It should be noted, however, that the great majority of smoke-phase turkeys are hens so are only game during the fall season. "While these birds may be rare, they aren't like an endangered species," he said. "The recessive genes that create these colorations are not considered to be favorable to the bird's or the flock's survival." While all of my photos of smoke-phase turkeys have been found in northwestern Nebraska, I know they exist in other parts of the state. After putting out a call for smoke-phase wild turkey photos on the "Afield and Afloat" blog of the NEBRASKAland website, I received submissions from as far east as Lincoln. While it was fascinating to see the smoke-phase photos, the most striking of the bunch was an erythritic bird harvested in the Pine Ridge near Chadron. The color variations of those birds are remarkable. Lusk also was impressed by a jet-black turkey harvested in Custer County in spring 2016 by an Oklahoma hunter. With spring turkey season approaching, hunters will be enjoying the pursuit of Nebraska's gobblers, regardless of their plumage. With skill and a little genetic happenstance, some of the birds approaching their blinds could be among the smoky-gray, red, black or white variety. ■ Smoke-phase, or smoky-gray, wild turkeys (top photo), run with a flock on a wheat field near Whitney in Dawes County. This erythritic bird (bottom photo) was harvested in the Pine Ridge near Chadron. PHOTO BY SCOTT JUSTICE

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