Turkeys probably won’t win any beauty contests if you judge them from the neck up. Turkey heads look more like a vulture or buzzard or other scavenger than that of a game bird, but once you get past their ugliness they’re kind of cool. A turkey head can change color from red, white or blue not quite instantly, but rather quickly. The color depends on the mood of the bird. Turkey heads also have some pretty unique parts. The brightly colored growths near the throat are called “caruncle,” and the flap of skin over the beak is called the “snood.”
Roger Phillips /rphillips@idahostatesman.com