What is he? Will he be staying?

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

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He was probably concerned about the paparazzi.

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

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Yep, I too am avid member of the NWTF and have never heard of THEM releasing easterns outside of their natural range, which CA is 1000's of miles outside, of. That's not the way the do things, only native species to the area.
NOW, that being said, like I mentioned earlier, that's not to say he's not eastern, infact I'm sure he is, I hunt them every day, he does look a touch light on his tail tips, but many easterns do have lighter tips. BUT his comfort level around humans, makes me near 100% possitive he is a captive raised escapee. Genuine WILD birds will never frequent human populations. The mear hint of a person and they are long gone. So this boy has to be an escaped bird.
If he comes back, see if you can get a good pic of his tail fan, the colors on it will tell what he is for sure.
Cool to have one coming around like that though isnt it!!

 

[Happy Chooks]

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I didn't think The Warden allowed conjugal visits in the prison.

 

[kathyinmo]

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I didn't think The Warden allowed conjugal visits in the prison.

I think that is the problem!

 

[The Sheriff]

Here's a better picture of his tail feathers:

 

[Chicky Tocks]

What a stunning bird! I'd be tempting him with every treat I could to get him to stay...or actually my DH would because he loves being surrounded by the wild.
Great photos by the way.

 

[PQ]

sports.espn.go.com
Info on turkey breeds here, lots are mixed now and there are eastern here in some areas.
sports.espn.go.com › All Sports › Outdoors › Hunting

 

[turkaholic]

Quote:
Yep, I too am avid member of the NWTF and have never heard of THEM releasing easterns outside of their natural range, which CA is 1000's of miles outside, of. That's not the way the do things, only native species to the area.
NOW, that being said, like I mentioned earlier, that's not to say he's not eastern, infact I'm sure he is, I hunt them every day, he does look a touch light on his tail tips, but many easterns do have lighter tips. BUT his comfort level around humans, makes me near 100% possitive he is a captive raised escapee. Genuine WILD birds will never frequent human populations. The mear hint of a person and they are long gone. So this boy has to be an escaped bird.
If he comes back, see if you can get a good pic of his tail fan, the colors on it will tell what he is for sure.
Cool to have one coming around like that though isnt it!!

Correction on my part. I was thinking about the population of easterns that are in southwest Washington state. California has the Rio and Merriams. Just checked the NWTF range map again.

I hunted turkeys in sw Nebraska two years ago and saw birds that fit Rio, Merriams AND eastern, even though easterns should not be there! ON the first day of the hunt, I had the bead on one at 15 yards that was SO much like the easterns I hunt here in Maryland, that I let him walk. Thought "why go all this way to shoot a bird that looks just like the ones at home"? Held out for a Merriam/Rio hybrid on the third day.

The NWTF does not always adhere to the native species rule. If they did, there wouldn't be Rios in Hawaii! It's goal has always been to introduce turkeys to all available habitat, with the sub-species best suited to the terrain.

As for the bird in the photo, rump feathers scream Rio more than Eastern!

 

[Dust Bunny]

OH how you tease us!!! so mean! i want that bird sooooo bad! gorgeous!!!

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

Quote:
Yep, I too am avid member of the NWTF and have never heard of THEM releasing easterns outside of their natural range, which CA is 1000's of miles outside, of. That's not the way the do things, only native species to the area.
NOW, that being said, like I mentioned earlier, that's not to say he's not eastern, infact I'm sure he is, I hunt them every day, he does look a touch light on his tail tips, but many easterns do have lighter tips. BUT his comfort level around humans, makes me near 100% possitive he is a captive raised escapee. Genuine WILD birds will never frequent human populations. The mear hint of a person and they are long gone. So this boy has to be an escaped bird.
If he comes back, see if you can get a good pic of his tail fan, the colors on it will tell what he is for sure.
Cool to have one coming around like that though isnt it!!

Correction on my part. I was thinking about the population of easterns that are in southwest Washington state. California has the Rio and Merriams. Just checked the NWTF range map again.

I hunted turkeys in sw Nebraska two years ago and saw birds that fit Rio, Merriams AND eastern, even though easterns should not be there! ON the first day of the hunt, I had the bead on one at 15 yards that was SO much like the easterns I hunt here in Maryland, that I let him walk. Thought "why go all this way to shoot a bird that looks just like the ones at home"? Held out for a Merriam/Rio hybrid on the third day.

The NWTF does not always adhere to the native species rule. If they did, there wouldn't be Rios in Hawaii! It's goal has always been to introduce turkeys to all available habitat, with the sub-species best suited to the terrain.

As for the bird in the photo, rump feathers scream Rio more than Eastern!

Yep, now that I see the lower back feathers better, it does appear to at least be part rio, too much buff in the tail and lower back to be pure eastern.

Have to agree with you on the hunt too, I'd had to pass on an eastern too if I were out there to get a merriam or rio, like you said, there everywhere back here