The snood is similar to a wattle, and may be called a wattle when all of a turkey’s face, head, and neck markings are described together, but it is a distinct feature. The base of the snood is just above the bill, and the total length can vary from just 1-2 inches to 5-6 inches or longer depending on the bird’s gender, health, and mood. A short snood may stand upright and be pointed like a small horn, while a longer snood will dangle down the bird’s bill and may flop on one side or the other.
A snood is a fleshy protuberance above a male turkey’s bill that can, in some cases, hang down and cover the bill. It can vary dramatically in size, shape, and color. Snoods function in sexual selection: Female turkeys choose who to mate with based on a variety of factors including snood size.
Because the snood is fleshy and blood-filled, it can change length quickly. A short, compact snood may indicate an agitated bird, and turkey hunters have noted the snood shortening and withdrawing when a bird feels trapped or threatened. This may be a defensive response, since a long, dangling snood can be a hazard in a fight: if the snood is injured, the bird may bleed profusely, and the snood could easily become infected through an open wound. Because turkeys can be aggressive, farmers who raise turkeys may have their birds de-snooded as chicks, removing the protuberance and lessening the risk of injury or infection.
Credit : The Spruce
Picture Credit : Google
