I recently posted about four unknown tom turkeys showing up in the wooded lot. I was basing my identification on the fact that the toms all had long red snoods hanging beside their beaks as they paraded around in full display.
It turns out they were just the young "jakes" of the resident tribe. I didn't recognize them because the young males normally have just a short protrusion on top of their beak.
I have learned that when the male turkeys (also called gobblers) start displaying their tail feathers and dancing around, the protrusion becomes engorged and grows longer. According to a university study, females prefer males with a longer snood so it's an advantage for mating and indicates good health.
Modern snood
That concludes our snood lesson for today.
13 comments:
Oh My! Did you ever bring back memories! Snood! My mom had one... dark brown, heavy, and just like you pictured. I don't ever remember her wearing it.... Now... about those turkeys and their attractive features... well... nevermind ;-)
Well, you made my day. Unless you find out turkeys wear fascinators, too.
Now I've learned something today! Thanks.
Well I never!
Jane x
That was quite interesting Ms Sparrow and I like looking at all the types of snoods !
You just taught me something, Ms. Sparrow...thanks! Great post!
A whole new perspective on snoods. Who'd have thunk it!
Very funny, thanks.
Ok I didn't know about a turkey snood and I definitely didn't know one of those hair nets was a snood, somehow the word isn't that appealing to my hear though. Ha.
I had a copy of Little Women that featured the girls on the cover wearing snoods. I always thought they were the oddest things! And look, turkeys have them too!
this made me smile! I'll need to have a closer look at the turkeys at Gorgie City Farm next time I'm there!
Perfect! Fashion imitating nature:-D
Wow. I've learned so much. The only snoods I knew about were the ones from the '40s.
And what a surprise... "females prefer males with longer snoods." Size DOES matter!
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