Aussie turkeys

[James Harvey]

#6133

I’ve never met an American turkey, but I’ve read plenty and seen photos. They look magnificent, sound smart and are attributed with wonderful eye sight.

I’ve met several Aussie brush turkeys. They are ugly, stupid and (I’m told by a poacher I met) are about as tender as a house brick.

I once saw one stand on the side of a road preparing to cross. As it looked down the road it saw a bus coming. At this point the bus was about 200m away. It looked back across the road, then at the bus. 150m. It looked across the road, put it’s head down to run, then looked at the bus. 100m. It took two quick steps out, then ran back and stared at the bus. 50m. Turned back to look across the road, then looked at the bus. 10m. Put it’s head down and sprinted across the road. The bus missed it by a hairs breadth. I saw him across the road in the bushes looking around, I can only imagine thinking, “Holy $#!^ that was close”.

You can tell the males by their long gold collar that hangs like an empty scrotum from their neck. Welcome to the majesty of the Aussie brush turkey.

[coastalbendbows]

#48258

Interesting looking bird.

[paleoman]

#48267

Thanks…I never knew of this bird before.

[Ben M.]

#48323

I killed a tom while hunting with my brother inlaw a while back. We walked up to it, and I knelt down to admire my kill. I turned its head over in my hands, spellbound by the intricate textures and iridescence of that magnificent bird. Bleary-eyed, I looked up at my brother inlaw to say, “God, what a beautiful creature!” but he spit out a sluice of tobacco and beat me to it. “Gawt ‘n ugly face, don’t he?” I damn near died laughing. When I told my wife about it later she said, “It’s amazing you two get along so well, considering how different you are.” We had to laugh some more.

[James Harvey]

#48609

Haha Ben, too funny.

In truth I really like our turkey’s. I think they’ve just gotten really dumb because they are 100% protected here, so they just wander around suburbs eating peoples flowers, building big ass nesting mounds in dogless backyards and otherwise acting like an animal that has complete contempt for the bald monkeys it shares its habitat with.

I spent most of yesterday in cassowary habitat and was hoping to get a pic to share with you guys too, alas I didn’t find any.

[Troy Breeding]

#48706

Funny looking little fellow. Looks like he stumped his toe and dunked his head in a bucket of red paint.:D

Troy

[mhay]

#49384

I’m curious , Jim . Are those birds vocal ? The reason I ask is that here in Ohio a great many folks have the notion that our turkeys are stupid birds . But , in reality they are just the opposite . They will be seen displaying some crazy antics , and that quite often . But they immediately display their intelligence when one hits a call .

Even though your birds are protected could you legally attempt to call one in for say a photo.

It just may be that your birds may have the similar trait as our MELIAGRIS GALOPAVO SYLVESTRIS.

[James Harvey]

#49662

mhay wrote: I’m curious , Jim . Are those birds vocal ?

The only noise I’ve ever heard them make is a deep, throaty kind of cluck. It’d definitely be legal to do that. I’ve only ever come across a handful of properly wild turkeys and they were very quiet, sneaky animals. My wife gobbles at them all the time. I’m always reminding her “They don’t speak american” 😉

[Ralph]

#49729

Fooled me! I thought “gobble, gobble” was universal language. :lol::lol:Maybe she ought to try “gobble, gobble mate”. :?:D

[Goraidh]

#51082

Thanks for sharing these photos and information, Jim. It’s a rather intersting bird, your turkey.

[James Harvey]

#51165

R2 wrote: Fooled me! I thought “gobble, gobble” was universal language.

Ralph, I had a surreal moment in Afghan last year when I was manning the rear gun on our armored car. We drove through a little farming community and I was seeing all the normal afgan animals when I heard a loud ‘GOBBLE GOBBLE GOBBLE’. We rounded a bend and there was a little pack of about 12 white turkeys gobbling away. I think they were speaking American 😉

[James Harvey]

#51172

Jeff and Paleo, you’re welcome guys. I’d check out some reputable sources of info than me if you want to learn anything factual about them 😉

Troy, I think dunking your head in a bucket of paint must be normal behaviour for lots of Aussie birds. We have some weird ones, that’s for sure. I think the cassowary takes the cake for weird heads though.

[Ralph]

#51444

Yep Jim, sounds just like congress!!:wink: Get everywhere don’t they!

Turkeys!! Yeah, only I would’ve had to trade my bow for my Henry but that ain’t happening yet! About 30 hens with a half dozen admirers. Way to many eyeballs.

[lyagooshka]

#51888

ausjim wrote: They look magnificent, sound smart and are attributed with wonderful eye sight…

Like the song goes… “2 out of 3 ain’t bad”.

They are good looking birds. Ben Franklin wanted to make ti the nation’s [bird] symbol. Their eyesight is amazing. But smart? They are dumb as a box of rocks. The old joke about looking up during a rainstorm and drowning is actually true about them. Many turkey farmers relay that very tale.

Still, they are a challenge to hunt and one day I hope to bad one. To be honest, the “down-under” version doesn’t look half bad. If they’re tough though, not for my brood. They are not into “gamey” foods.

That being said, I could replace “deer” for “turkey” in your story and it would hold true here in my area. I have had more than one “close call” when I saw a deer standing by the road from 300+ yards. Instead of trotting across or hopping into the woods, it waits until I am 2 feet away and darts in front of the car. Darn idiots. Now, if I have bow in hand, they run when they see me from a mile away. I swear I am hanging up the bow and getting a plow for the jeep. My freezer would be much fuller than it is now. Be well.

Alex

😀

[Ralph]

#51896

Jim, aren’t the cassowary’s pretty much kick a..? Like mean, aggressive and dangerous? Not like turkeys that hook’em up and change counties.

[James Harvey]

#51967

Alex, maybe they’re like emus. I heard one emu handler at a sanctuary say “Smart? No, they’re not smart at all. But they are VERY reactionary.” Which I suppose to a hunter can look like smart, because they’re very good at running away 😉

Ralph, cassowary’s can have a bit of a reputation like that. I don’t know how dangerous they are, but there are plenty of cases of them being aggressive. Like a goose on a farm, except bigger, and instead of biting they kick you with a dagger.

I kind of hate that people are told to run away. I’m no biologist or animal trainer, but it seems to me you’re conditioning the animal to gather experience confirming charging people is a good thing to do. I saw an aggressive goose chase about a dozen Japanese tourists right out of a park one day. A goose. Soccer is popular in Japan, they should know what to do to a round white thing racing along the ground towards them.

I reckon just carry a decent sized walking stick when you’re in their habitat and be willing to stand up for yourself.

Here’s a pic of my little boy exploring the edge of the jungle, right in the heart of cassowary country at the start of the Easter weekend.

[Ralph]

#51975

Hey, cool. He has bow already I’m sure! Looks like he’s having fun!!

I agree on the running deal. It excites critters into more aggression sometimes methinks. Besides that, there ain’t a whole lot of critters that we can outrun anyway.

😀 Just look what a big stick did for Anthony Hopkins in “The Edge”. Some stuff’s real right? 😕

[shotsome]

#52001

A-Jim,,Great picture of your wee one. Always wanted to visit your part of the world. You mentioned Afaganastan, I want to think you for your service. Hope you never have to leave home again,execpting holiday of course.

I collect Brass Military buttons, don’t have any Aussie ones. Could trade some only found in the U.S items with for some. I collect old and modern ones,,,just wondering.

Ernest.

[Don Thomas]

#53191

Biologically, the Australian brush turkey is a totally different bird, unrelated to ours. However, as I’m sure ausjim knows, there are limited populations of our turkeys in Australia–and they are equally stupid, as they are everywhere they have been introduced around the Pacific (New Zealand, New Caledonia, etc.) The explanation is simple–absence of land based predators. Without things trying to eat them, birds are either born dumb or get that way fast. Don

[Bruce Smithhammer]

#53195

donthomas wrote: …..Without things trying to eat them, birds are either born dumb or get that way fast. Don

I’m trying really hard not to apply that to another species I know…

8)

[James Harvey]

#53249

donthomas wrote: I’m sure ausjim knows, there are limited populations of our turkeys in Australia

I had no idea Don. I learn something new every day. It’s nice for today’s lesson not to be on how low on the intelligence scale I can fall, but how high I can soar on the scale of ignorance instead 😉

Our region certainly does have a reputation for producing exceptionally silly ground dwelling birds.

[Don Thomas]

#54138

As my memory serves me, they are confined to Fraser Island on the Queensland coast. Maybe one of my old Oz mates can chime in and correct me if I’m wrong. I’ve never hunted them, but some of my friends there have, and they can’t understand why we get so excited about outwitting our turkeys here.

[James Harvey]

#55299

Don, it’s funny that even Fraser Is dumbs down your turkeys as it’s one of the few places I know with a reasonably dense dingo population. I don’t know if it would still be possible to hunt them there as virtually the whole island is a national park now (maybe if the rangers were organizing a cull). I haven’t been there since childhood camping trips, but that piques my interest to return, thanks for the tip 😉

[James Harvey]

#58057

Check out this pack of wierdos…

A brush turkey and a pair of peahens hanging out preening together

When I popped up to get the photo the peahens acted all cool and the turkey ran away.

If they weren’t doing anything wrong, why did the turkey run away? Wierdos, they’re everywhere.

[Ralph]

#58117

Maybe they saw something in you that the others didn’t. The predator, I’ll eat you side or something. There’s an aura that hangs around trad archers you know!!!!

[jonking]

#58274

Smithhammer wrote: [quote=donthomas]…..Without things trying to eat them, birds are either born dumb or get that way fast. Don

I’m trying really hard not to apply that to another species I know…

8)

That explains everything – world needs more big predators:twisted:

[Author]

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