…teach the student to see the land, to understand what he sees,
and enjoy what he understands.
– Aldo Leopold
Gobble gobble! It’s courtship season for turkeys!![]()
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If you haven’t seen it yet, the mating behavior of adult male turkeys, called toms or gobblers, resembles that of peacocks. They try to attract females by puffing up their feathers, spreading their tails, gobbling loudly, and dragging their wings… And this behavior, called strutting, is certainly a sight to see!![]()
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Closely related males, such as brothers or half-siblings, often strut together in flocks to court females and chase off other competing males. Interestingly, only the dominant brother mates, while the subordinate brothers serve as “wingmen”. Over the mating season, dominant males with wingmen are more likely to successfully breed with multiple females than solo males. Even if the wingmen don't mate, in evolutionary terms, their genes get passed on because of kinship.![]()
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What other signs of spring do you see? Visit us for a hike or take a walk around your neighborhood to observe life cycle events that are influenced by seasonal changes!![]()
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Photo: Stephanie Briand, Aldo Leopold Nature Center![]()
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#PhenologyFriday #WildTurkeyCourtship #WIEnviroEd #NatureIsEverywhere #NatureIsForEveryone #EveryBodyOutside
