Check out this photo I received last week. If anyone has the answer, I'll send them a signed hat. Read the email below to see if you have an answer:
Hey guys...I have been asking around and trying to figure out if anyone has ever
seen a gobbler like this. I killed the bird earlier this week...It appears to be
a two year old bird 9-10inch beard, 3/4 spurs, but his wings are solid
white and the rest of the bird appears to be more colorful than any other bird
i've killed before
...Looks really cool when he is strutting....I killed him in the mountains
of VA on National Forest Land and wasn't around anywhere that had tame birds...I
was kinda maybe thinking cross-breeding but there arent any tame birds around
the area...I have heard of blondes or what people call "smokey grays" but the
whole bird is white or gray in that case...Just wondering if yall have seen on
before and wondering how common it is. Check out the picture i attached.
Thanks,
Ryan
Some wild turkeys go through color phases. I believe there are about 4 of em. The one I hear about most is the gray phase. There is one that makes a turkey all black. There is also a red color phase, but I have never seen it. And a very rare albino color phase. I believe your bird is some sort of color phase bird. So good job! Not only did you get a hard to hunt turkey, you got a rare prize too.
I'll bet you it doesn't taste any different!
Todd - Indiana
I done some research on this and found its a rare white color phase found mostly in hens. Below I have pasted a copy of the article.
Chris - VA.
Color Phases
The wild turkey has three distinct color variations from normal plumage coloration: melanistic (black), erythritic (red), and albinotic (white). Recessive genes or mutations account for the color abnormalities. These color variations occur infrequently with the white or smoky-grey phase being the most common. More than 95% of the reported observations of white turkeys are hens. These hens are native wild turkeys and are capable of producing offspring that are partially white, normal colored, or a mix of partially white and normal colored birds within the same brood.
Most white phase turkeys are hens.
Occurrence of partially white gobblers is
extremely rare.
Hey T-Bone,
That's an awesome looking bird. He looks like he is part albino to me. Talk to ya later.
God Bless & Good Huntin'
Kristle Oberlander
i got one for you t-bone how rare is it to see a bearded hen. and how do they how grow the beard too.
Nick Summerfield
In many parts of VA the soil has a high sulfer content. Prolonged exposure to sulfer can act as A bleaching agent. When the tom dusts his feathers the sulfer in the soil gets into the feathers turning them white "Bleaching them". That is why the wings are white and the rest is a normal color.
Actualy that was complete BS. I have no idea why its wings are white. I just wanted a signed hat from T. I thought if I sounded confident enough he would believe me. I bet I had some of you goin though!
If I had to quess I would say it is similar to a pie-bald buck color pigmentation stuff.
Scott Withers
Hey T-Bone,
Hey maybe hes just a little retarded. Some times you feel like a nut sometimes you dont. He probably painted them so if someone saw him they would be in such awe that they wouldnt be able to pull the trigger. Ive never had that problem but ive seen some weird buck fever happen with friends. Now those friends of mine at that moment are a little retarded. But anyways, holy cow those bucks on the MB16 vol 1&2 are huge. Watched them last night and couldnt believe it. That buck Spook shot at 7 paces would have made me require a new change of pants if ya know what i mean. And Al Kraus' buck, wowwy. Thats all you need to say about that. T-Bone again stole the show in the archery tourney. I need to see a T-Bone only two hour monster buck bow video. I did like that 6x6 you took at the Milk River. Later
Todd-NC
I believe the answer or a believed answer was given already, which was the phased. However, being from VA and knowing where most of the National Forest Land is, it cannot be ruled out that this is a cross breed. You see, not too far from where this guy most likely shot it, are farms containing thousands of turkeys... I live roughly 30 miles from the National Forest and all those farms, believe me; more than one of those white devils has made it out of the Turkey prison system. I would say it could be the color phase, but my bet is on cross breed... If it were WV, then I would be 100% sure of the cross breed!
T-bone you got to give ScottW. his props for that answer. It may not be the right one but it got a laugh out of me... Good one Scott.
Todd - Indiana
It may be a Bourbon Red Turkey. It named after Bourbon County in Kentucky. Pennsylvania, WV, Virginia, and Kentucky are the prominent homes for these rare Turkey's. This site has more info and a pic of the bird. http://www.albc-usa.org/cpl/bourbon.html
If I'm right TBone you can just hand that hat to my friend Steven Fey that does some filming for Realtree and has filmed you hunting.
Adam Hanks
Southern, IL
The turkey was probely a tom with partial albinoism. There are also albino,partial albinoism,gray or smokey,red phased or erythritic tom, or melanistic or black or these can be mixed with partial albinoism. This is caused by slight genetic abnormalities that make them appear different. They are pretty rare so you've got something to brag about. Found this in old Xtreme Jakes Magazine. We had some smokey colored ones around our house once and I saw a white hen turkey hunting once.
Jared 15 Missouri
I believe it's a genetic mutation as mentioned earlier. Animals have many genes that control pigmentation. One of those genes has mutated and caused the white color. Actually this is considered absence of color. So most of the genes controlling color in the bird are fully functional but the ones that control wing color have mutated causing the absence of color.