Albino Turkey

[-Trap_addicT-]

I thought all your turkey hunters might find this interesting. I'm not much of a turkey hunter anymore, as I live in an area with a ridiculously high population and I just grew tired of it. It is always fun to see the elusive albino of any species though. She was just a plump ol' hen running with 6 toms, 3 jakes and 30 other hens. She stuck with the group the whole time. They aren't the best pictures, but they were taken with my iPhone for reference on distance. We could've gotten much closer pictures, but we watched them and talked back-and-forth with the toms for some time before we realized, hey why don't we take pictures? I will be checking up on her periodically through spring and summer, because I think a big albino hen turkey mount will look great in the house.

[jackelope]

Looks like an escapee domestic bird.

 

[buglebuster]

 

[-Trap_addicT-]

I read up on it and jkeen you are right. I read that in order for the color phase to happen, the recessive gene must be held by the hen and the gobbler in order for the offspring to show the trait. Still, it's very uncommon and I'm happy to have seen it.

The link: http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt?open=514&objID=622255&mode=2

[Gobble Doc]

Cool.

[kevinlisa06]

Very cool!

[Rainier10]

That is awesome, thanks for posting

[lokidog]

Cool photos.

Looks like an escapee domestic bird.

 

I don't think so, if you look at the body shape/size it is the same as the wild ones around it.  Domestic white turkeys are designed to grow huge breasts and look really fat compared to a wild bird.   

[Limhangerslayer]

These are two birds I called in for a couple buddies.  The white bird was the dominant bird.  He had about an 8" heard and 1/2" spurs.   And yes he could fly.  They were roosted fifty feet up in a fit tree that morning.

[Jester052]

I'm surprised that they made it through poulthood. I would think Hawks and yotes would take them early. But cool to see and makes a different type of trophy.

[Tom Tamer]

Was a white phased hen running around the Teanaway a few years back.

[buglebuster]

I've seen them in the colockum

[Whitpirate]

Looks like a Royal Palm hen.  Domestic escapee....heritage bird.

[-Trap_addicT-]

Looks like a Royal Palm hen.  Domestic escapee....heritage bird.

There was no black on her. Her body was solid white. The head may have had a pinkish tinge and her legs were light pink. I never got a clear at the eyes, but I'm fairly certain it was a hen with a recessive gene.

[Whitpirate]

Cool find then... But I've seen Palms with no black but an albino would be a cool find.

[-Trap_addicT-]

I just spoke with a guy that saw this hen last fall. She hasn't gone far, because this was less than a mile from where he saw her. Good to know they can survive for a while anyway. I suppose they prefer winter though!