BIRDS PLAY THE MATING GAME

BUSH turkey, scrub turkey or brush turkey – call it what you will, the large bird with a striking red head and blueblack plumage is a common sight along the east coast and is making its presence increasingly felt in Gold Coast suburbia.

The birds grow to 65-70cm long and can breed at any time of the year, but most commonly between September and December. The male, which has a bright yellow wattle below its neck, builds a mound of plant litter and soil, adding or removing material to keep the temperature at a constant 33 degrees Celsius so eggs can incubate. The birds have heat sensors in their beak to monitor the temperature.

The male will mate with multiple females, which return to lay their eggs in holes dug in the mound. The male will keep watch over the mound until the eggs hatch after about 50 days. The birds eat insects, native fruits and seeds.

Turkeys have been protected since the 1970s but feel the impact of habitat destruction.