Can both domestic and wild turkeys fly ??? Photoes appreciated.

[clinton9]

Hi members,
Thankyou for photoes & your help, I had been looked for photoes of wild turkeys in flight in www.google.com and found plently of photoes, also adult male wild turkeys are capable of flying for a mile or more at 50k/m on level flight.

But I did not find any photoes of adult domestic turkeys in flight in www.google.com, seems the adult male domestic turkeys are incapable of flight ???

Clinton.

 

[Exotics R Us]

You must not do much websurfing this guy has all kind of colors of turkeys www.porterturkeys.com

Google turkeys in flight I did and got all kinds of hits.

 

[clinton9]

Ricky,
Thankyou for emailing me.

Flight / flying ablilies of adult male domestic turkeys, are still unknown.

I had found photoes of wild turkeys only that were flying / in flight, and in photoes, the wild turkeys seems to had very strong breast muscles and big strong wings.

owner of www.porterturkeys.com, do not photo turkeys in flight and no, no I am not going to ask him. sorry.

Adult female & immature (both sexes) domestic turkeys can fly well and sometimes flying high to roost in tall trees and roof of houses and capable of flying for 20-30 yards.

Clinton.

 

[ivan3]

Duplicate thread: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=563140

Are you talking about Commercial Broad Breasted turks as `domestic'? Even these will fly until their wt. becomes such that they can only hop. Commercials represent a variety of turkey that has had the ability to get off the ground, for adult males, in particular, to fly for any distance, if at all, lost as a consequence of focusing on breeding for maximization of meat production.

 

[clinton9]

Hi Ivan3,
I meant Heritage turkeys, not commercial broad breasted turkeys.

I still did not know whether adult male heritage turkeys have flying ablilies or none.

Adult female and immature (both sexes) heritage turkeys are capable of flight similar to wild turkeys.

There are no photoes of adult male heritage turkeys in flight / flying.

Clinton.

 

[ivan3]

They fly just fine. Our 5.5yr. old Royal tom still hangs out with hens on roof of house/garage. Actually, being somewhat lighter, the Royals, if necessary, could probably outpace a Wild Eastern (for purposes of describing structure/function of myology/osteology consider them to be the same bird bred with a slightly different emphasis). Unlike the Wild Easterns (avoid preds/find forage), most heritage turks have less reason to fly and don't expend the energy doing so as often. Our Slate tom, being a heavy fellow, rarely leaves the ground (though he can clear a 6 ft. fence without much effort).

Search this site and you'll find shots of adult heritage turks up in trees, etc.

 

[clinton9]

Hi Ivan3,

Since your 5-year-old Royal tom turkey were a skillful good flier, Can you send me photoes of your Royal turkey in flight, please ???,
As Royal turkeys are beautiful birds in white & black plumages and more beautiful when he flies.

Clinton.

 

[ivan3]

Already posted still from vid (in your other thread) of a 4.5 month old Royal flying. Same form in flight. Don't always have vid. cam. handy (though I try).
Tell you the best option is to get some turks yourself and post up some of your shots/vid.

In the meantime, you might want to read up on the anatomy that makes the flying possible: http://www.osti.gov/energycitations/purl.cover.jsp?purl=/4811958-FJViLM/

 

[clinton9]

Hi Ivan,
I had seen the photo of a flying 4:5 month old immature Royal ? turkey, thankyou.

Thankyou very much for your help.

Clinton.

 

[ivan3]

A couple of our toms,

Off the ground.

Have only seen the Wild Easterns flying when a hen drops out of our trees to visit with our toms (act coy and skedaddle). Indirect evidence is hearing dead tree branches breaking, out in the woods, at sundown (flock going to roost).

Even when they come to visit our guys,

And see a human, they prefer to walk - like any other variety of turk.

If I could schedule a fox/dog attack with the camera running it would look something like the Rios being netted:

http://www.ranches.org/rio_grande_turkey_project.htm (wonder what variety their `Moby turkey' was... )

Good luck on your quest. Both young and old heritage can fly up just as high as neccessary (get some and find yourself up on the roof removing them from the top of the chimney before the hail starts falling... remember the camera, yes?

)