gobblers

Gobbler is the common name for the male turkey, scientifically Meleagris gallopavo. The term arises from the bird’s loud gobbling vocalization, which is most prominent during mating displays and territorial behavior. In contrast, female turkeys are called hens, and young birds are known as poults. The gobbler is typically larger and heavier than the hen and often shows more pronounced physical features such as spurs on the legs and a beard on the chest.

Biology and behavior include a characteristic courtship display known as strutting, during which the gobbler fans its tail, inflates the neck wattles, and gobbles to attract hens or deter rivals. Gobblers may exist alone outside the breeding season or form small groups, especially older males. They are omnivorous, feeding on a mix of seeds, nuts, fruit, insects, and small vertebrates, and they forage on the ground. Both wild and domestic turkeys have a varied diet that depends on season and habitat.

Habitat and range: wild gobblers are native to North America, occupying a range of forested and open habitats such as woodland edges, croplands, and brushy ranges. Domestic turkeys, bred for meat production, are raised in agricultural settings worldwide. Conservation and management efforts have helped wild turkey populations recover from past declines, with habitat restoration, regulated hunting, and disease control contributing to their current status in many regions.

Reproduction and life cycle: breeding typically occurs in spring, with gobblers competing to attract hens. Hens lay clutches of eggs in ground nests, incubate them for about 28 days, and brood the poults once they hatch. poults fledge within a few weeks and reach maturity over the following months.

See also: turkey (bird).