WILD TURKEY STRUT - DRUMMING, SPITTING, & DRAGGING

Early April, 2020.
Drumming! (@ the :43/44-second mark.)
WOW. What a treat! I believe this is the first time I fully captured the sound of a male wild turkey drumming. This drumming is in addition to the more typically-audible spitting/clicking, and wing-dragging sounds that are present in a wild turkey strut.
PLEASE NOTE: you probably won’t be able to hear the drumming sound on your mobile devices (unless you have EARPHONES) as mobile devices aren't equipped to play sound in that lower register. If you can listen on a desktop with better speakers or on earphones, you should be able to hear this well. It’s worth the effort!
Never heard a turkey drumming before? So what is it you are listening for, and when?
Immediately after you see the Tom drag its feathers on the ground, and hear that spitting/clicking sound, listen for what almost sounds like a very distant car with a sub-bass speaker system. At first that's what I thought I was hearing -- some obnoxious car stereo blaring from far away. (Alas, sound carries all too well in the mountains sometimes, especially when you are listening from a ridge-top like we are.) After the first couple times listening through, I realized that I kept hearing these same distinctly undulating bass tones immediately after each spit & drag. That's when I realized I was finally hearing the male wild turkey's drumming sound on one of my videos. Whoo Hooo!
I hope you can hear this, too!

[@reginakasakevics7891]

He is without a doubt the most beautiful wild turkey I have ever witnessed. Not a feather out of place and so brightly colored. He must really be healthy and she’s a very pretty hen as well. Thank you so much for sharing.

[@jacecook9836]

Hi

[@survivor648]

This is why I don’t eat turkey.

[@deadliftguy3442]

@@survivor648 I don't eat eat turkey because there is no turkey in finland.

[@kadenkilpatrick8341]

@@survivor648 if you’re referring to thanksgiving turkey then they are no where near as beautiful as these

[@survivor648]

@@kadenkilpatrick8341 I was but honestly I don’t eat meat anyway I don’t believe in mass production the animals live awful cruel lives before they’re killed.

[@NanciesArt11]

Totally Gorgeous Colouring of the Turkey. I see he's doing his level best to attract the Hen! :D TY for posting. Love the thumbnail, too.

[@stephc5983]

Beautifully captured! I like the way he strutted when the female walked by. He did a little dance.

[@FAIRVIEWCRITTERCAMS]

Steph C - did you hear the drumming? (That sub-bass sound that happens right after the spitting and wing-drag sounds.) It’s really subtle but amazing when you realize what you are hearing. It’s the first time I really got good audio of that behavior. - You probably can't hear it on a cell phone or iPad, though. Those mobile devices can't project at that lower bass register.

[@ADVENTURESOFBZ]

You can physically feel the drumming in your own chest when in person!!! Coolest sound in the woods!!! You can hear or feel it from 100 yards away without even seeing the turkey!!! Incredible

[@FAIRVIEWCRITTERCAMS]

Love it. Ditto from the ruffed grouse, etc., too. Such a thrill!

[@TheHuskyGT]

That deep bass sound after the spit always fascinated me. In person it is much deeper and you can feel the whole turkey vibrate.

[@FAIRVIEWCRITTERCAMS]

The first time I heard the sound I wasn’t within view of the bird and didn’t know what I was hearing. Now i know. :-) We tend to hear the ruffed grouse more often than the turkeys. Both are such amazing sounds!

[@bsadewitz]

Is that called drumming? I heard that on my friend's farm and was transfixed by it. Lol

[@user-mg6kh5ie2l]

@@bsadewitzyeah thats drumming they spit right before

[@SetCCC]

He's so beautiful!

[@christineh4782]

The bird that almost became America's symbol instead the bald eagle won out. Gorgeous display! Will lust err n on TV later to hear the drumming sound. Thank you so much for the videos you post! 👍

[@yorshvences341]

Turkey wasn’t American symbol because of the whole pilgrim thing

[@fabienneroure9995]

The drumming is so interesting it's actually the first time I hear that sound! What a great parade of beauty!🦃🍁

[@FAIRVIEWCRITTERCAMS]

I'm so glad you got to hear it! Unfortunately most people who are listening on portable devices like cell-phones or iPads won't be able to hear that lower bass sound, but maybe they can if they use earphones. It's pretty much a plus for listening to videos on desktops. If you were able to hear this on a mobile device, I'll be impressed! (And I'd suggest you try listening again on a desktop or with earphones bc you'll really be able to hear the drumming better. :-) )

[@fabienneroure9995]

@@FAIRVIEWCRITTERCAMSI listened to it on my desktop but I will listen to it again with earphones to see the difference! I prefer watching videos on my desktop as the images are bigger ( it's an age thing 58 yrs)! Thanks again for all your great videos!

[@Jimmyandtony]

@@FAIRVIEWCRITTERCAMS where is this?

[@FAIRVIEWCRITTERCAMS]

@@Jimmyandtony - the mountains of western North Carolina, near Asheville.

[@Jimmyandtony]

@@FAIRVIEWCRITTERCAMS thanks

[@littlejack6123]

What beautiful birds...and the display of feathers on the male is an awesome example that nature is created with a precise plan. She was striking too. I love birds, they can be funny and odd characters.

[@joanmelnick1704]

My family has wild turkeys, deer and wild hogs (hugely) on my Farm. Love your videos.

[@FAIRVIEWCRITTERCAMS]

Nice! Thanks for watching. I had never seen a feral pig here before this year. Haven't seen another since that one. Hope not to, either, since they can do so much damage to the landscape! I've got more than a sufficiency of trashed landscaping from all the bears and the bucks during mating season. Ha Ha.

[@poodrepjdjd]

Holy crap that is incredible. I will never sneak a piece of turkey ever again.

[@FAIRVIEWCRITTERCAMS]

Awwwwwww

[@crowcawler2011]

That was hands down the best spitting and drumming video I’ve ever seen that close. Seen it in person but never a video I can show my wife. Thanks and great job!!!!

[@FAIRVIEWCRITTERCAMS]

I was thrilled that Tom came so close to the cam so many times. Such a beauty! Your wife may get a kick out of this video, too? (Iink below) I captured this pursuit on multiple cameras. Every time I saw the footage, I kept hearing this silly dialogue, so I decided to make a video with some of the dialogue in it: BETTER LUCK NEXT TIME: The Tale of Turkey Tom and the Three Elusive Hens kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z5bMgWOJa6ympdU

[@marymathis9299]

Wow! He was really struttin his stuff! Pretty! Thanks! ❤️👍🥰

[@judyscheiber3661]

He’s gorgeous!

[@1ofhis518]

Man the LORD surely made that rascal to be a stunner.

[@bsadewitz]

No joke. Was thinking the same thing. My friend out in AZ raises wild turkeys, and none of them were even close to that one. Really majestic bird.

[@1ofhis518]

@@bsadewitz yeah man really a beautiful bird. Since he looks better than most I wonder if he taste better lol

[@paulking962]

I can see why this almost became our national Bird beauty at its best. Not just for Thanksgiving dinner.

[@FAIRVIEWCRITTERCAMS]

Aren’t they stunning!? The iridescence really takes my breath away, too. We have quite a collection of turkey feathers from our walks over the last couple decades.

[@paulking962]

Growing up we raised domestic turkeys, to smoke, YUM, we had one Tom that helped sit on the eggs while the hen went out to eat, such a gentleman.

[@FAIRVIEWCRITTERCAMS]

That’s fascinating. Maybe turkeys are more like penguins than we thought? ;-) I’m pretty sure that male King Penguins do a lot of the egg incubation.

[@idipped2521]

My mom and my grandpa saw a wild turkey the other day (Indiana). Didn't know they still existed in the wild around lake Michigan

[@corinne1691]

He is just so beautifully impressive! Nice job!

[@redlady8296]

One of the prettiest wild toms I’ve ever seen

[@FAIRVIEWCRITTERCAMS]

Wasn’t he grand? Thanks for watching!

[@user-dg1hu8uu1o]

❤ watching wild turkeys do this so funny. 😂😂😂🤗🤗🤗

[@dubaiedge]

Insane! Majestic! We have about 15 wild turkeys wandering around our neighborhood in salt lake. Really worries me with the heavy traffic. I walk around & pick up feathers. They know me & come running. I'm kinda scared of them but sit down & try to converse with them. These guys around here love blueberries & walnuts. I have a few hundred feathers. I'm obsessed. I haven't gone so far as to name them yet, but thinking about it. Proud not to have had meat since 1978. I used to like 🦃 😆. Thanks for showing us this surreal, ethereal, precious creature. Btw, I saw 3 fighting for dominance last summer. WOW can they get down & dirty trying to rip each other to shreds. Shocking to witness. Worse than anything I've found on YT for sure. They were slamming each other into houses, knocking stuff over. Wish I'd filmed it.

[@lisarochwarg4707]

That's a handsome bird.

[@auana3]

They are both wonderful!

[@sdranac]

Beautiful bird! Fantastic!!!

[@justin5002]

Hearing that drumming in the early spring woods just makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

[@biscaya08]

What a beautiful bird, amazing!

[@earthresident1007]

I didn’t know turkeys were so fabulous! Thank you for sharing these videos.

[@sunnysideup5451]

So majestic! Gorgeous! Takes my breath away! Thank You ❤️🙏❤️

[@cheleseselter5542]

How interesting of a sound extremely beautiful colors You get such great moments captured truly amazing I really appreciate watching TY🦃

[@suemurphy1730]

Awesome captures, Amy!

[@MC-gt6yp]

I am happy to know this beauty survived Thanksgiving 😃

[@willbradford2486]

Super cool video!

[@LunringNassar]

That is one beauutiful looking turkey.

[@FAIRVIEWCRITTERCAMS]

Ain’t he? So magnificent. I included this footage again (with other similar turkey footage) in a recent compilation video that features this popular area. I worked on the turkey’s audio a bit more - reduced the ambient noise - and made the audio of the turkey’s “drumming” a lot easier to hear. Regular computer speakers are always best for listening, though. Unfortunately, the speakers on our smaller, portable devices still can’t quite handle the full spectrum of sound that these birds produce during their full strut. The treble from their spitting and dragging are always easy to hear, but that deep, deep bass register of the drumming is often missing from audio, especially if the footage is captured on a windy day. I had fun editing this footage again for the compilation. Here’s the link in case you’d like to see the video: TRAIL CAM MEDLEY: The Bear Tree kzbin.info/www/bejne/npS3h6h_hp2mhZo

[@cherylmcnutt9905]

Amazingly beautiful!

[@FAIRVIEWCRITTERCAMS]

Pretty stunning bird, eh!? They do this strutting the most during spring mating season, but occasionally I get to see it in autumn, too.

[@stevey4192]

Very cool! I've been hunting turkeys for over twenty years and never heard drumming before. I'll try to listen for it --- or feel it --- this spring.

[@dawnriddle-knowlton9932]

City girl here. Never seen this display other than some fowl nature show. Pun intended. Thank you for amazing footage. Pun intended again.

[@FAIRVIEWCRITTERCAMS]

I’m so glad you enjoyed it!! Thanks for watching. :-) I always get a huge thrill when I learn my cameras have captured footage of magnificent creatures up close and personal like this. I get a lot of this at “The Bear Tree.” In case you didn’t see it, I think you may enjoy The Bear Tree compilation. This is a favorite wildlife trail so I get all manner of creatures coming through here. I included this turkey footage in the compilation, again - however, I worked on “de-noising” the audio so you could hear the deep bass of the “drumming” sound the turkey makes. Typically when people listen on portable devices like phones or tablets, they can only hear the clicking and dragging sounds. It’s definitely easier to hear the drumming sound on desktop speakers. I did try to make the drumming sound more audible on portable devices this time. Hopefully you can hear it here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/npS3h6h_hp2mhZo

[@richierich3053]

Very cool.

[@dwhunter8904]

Man thanks for that. I have enjoyed everything in the woods....and killed a truck load of turkeys, but that is the very first time Ive been able to hear one drum. I guess Im tone death when it comes to that sound...but now Ive heard it ! Thank you !!!!

[@FAIRVIEWCRITTERCAMS]

I was so thrilled to capture this! (I just shoot with a camera, but we all love the magnificence of these creatures, either way. :-) Unfortunately, I don’t think most mobile devices can handle the low-bass sound of that drumming. It’s mostly only people watching with desktop computer speakers who can hear it. I’m just glad my trail cameras were able to capture the full spectrum of the audio. Thanks for watching and chiming in.

[@mrjaycam18]

Hell of a video!

[@hillshepherd9444]

Excellent !!!!!!!!!!! Thank-you !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@FAIRVIEWCRITTERCAMS]

Thank you! I was thrilled with these captures. What a magnificent Tom.

[@rachelphelps6347]

He is so handsome!

[@ChromatophoneNature]

Awesome! I love when they stick up their snoods :)

[@FAIRVIEWCRITTERCAMS]

Me, too!! They are so impressive, most especially during mating season.

[@chrishoglo3761]

Thanks for filming and describing this so well. I always wondered what drumming was, and you captured it in a fabulous way!

[@FAIRVIEWCRITTERCAMS]

Thank you so much! I was thrilled that my cameras recorded that footage and that the winds were calm enough that the bass register came through. I actually edited this a bit further for inclusion in a compilation video. The video features footage captured from this same camera position, in a high-traffic area. I worked to reduce ambient noise, and to make the bass register a little easier to hear. I was happy with how it turned out. This particular footage is closer to the beginning of this video. There are a few more turkey clips, as well. I’m including the link here in case you’d like to see a bit more. Thanks for commenting! kzbin.info/www/bejne/npS3h6h_hp2mhZo

[@baccoff3308]

Nice Turkeys!

[@lorrainemiller8339]

Oh what great birds they are. We have a flock on our farm. I try to get them to come close & be my friend. I do call them out loud by name & they come for seeds after I have fed them. They are my clan & my friends & family..❤️

[@FAIRVIEWCRITTERCAMS]

Oh! That's so fantastic!

[@donkinzett3961]

We don't have wild turkeys in Australia , he looks very cool would look even better on a roasting dish in the oven ha ha

[@bryangeorge9461]

I have been fortunate enough to get 5 Toms in the last 5 seasons here in MN. I have not shot that many turkey's but I love the spring weather as well as all the wildlife. I have had some up close personal action with hens that made my heart race as much or more than the Gobbler's. I was mentoring our MN youth hunt a couple years ago and we watched a hen turkey pummel a rooster pheasant ! She would not leave it alone and just kept pouncing on it. After it finally escaped she sat down about four feet from the blind. Those things are the reason I love turkey hunting. I don't care if I get a bird, but consider it a bonus.

[@Gordman]

Very Cool! Definitely won't hear it on just a phone!

[@gettngrittywithgreg7728]

The best

[@colincampbell-bussier1018]

This is a great video! Great job capturing one of the more amazing sounds in the woods. for folks who want to know what the drumming sounds like in person you will probably need headphones to hear the low tone after he spits I could hear it with my iPhone 13 and I know what I was listening for.

[@FAIRVIEWCRITTERCAMS]

Thank you!! it’s a shame so many people’s portable devices can’t handle the full-spectrum sound that the turkeys produce. That drumming definitely lives at a deep bass register, and lower than most small speakers can handle. I cleaned up the audio for this bit of footage again when I included it again in my Trail Cam Medley video. You can hear the bass of the drumming a good bit better in this compilation: kzbin.info/www/bejne/npS3h6h_hp2mhZo

[@wendyrual7179]

AMAZING! What a wonderful display! I SO hope he was successful......she did seem interested! Lol! 💕

[@FAIRVIEWCRITTERCAMS]

Did you ever see the silly Turkey video I put out around Thanksgiving? (The footage is actually from spring, when the Toms really put on their finest displays, but whatEVER. I had so much fun putting the footage together with silly captions.) Here’s the link, in case you didn't see it: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z5bMgWOJa6ympdU

[@mgaamerica9185]

Being a hunter, I’ve seen this so many times, and it never gets old. I’ve actually got a video of me killing my first turkey with a bow and arrow, as my ancestors would say, it was a good death.

[@thezengirl3685]

Wow.....I am starting to wonder what your life might feel like. Respect

[@WOMPITUS]

Some people can’t hear the frequency of a turkey drumming. Been hunting them for 26 years and have never been able to hear it.

[@jackmehoff5610]

Thank the lord Ive been able to hear the drum. Half the time it’s the spitting I don’t hear. The drumming has definitely saved me from educating a few birds

[@NYCWendy1]

This is awesome! Where can I get equipment like this?

[@FAIRVIEWCRITTERCAMS]

You mean trail cameras? - There are a kazillion models to choose from. This one was probably shot by my Stealthcam DS4K model. (Although I can’t record video in the 4K setting reliably - it gives me too many 0-byte files, so I set that camera at the next lowest-resolution. - If it wasn’t the Stealthcam, it was the Browning Advantage, which I also love. Just fair-warning. ALL trail cameras I’ve worked with can be rather buggy. Takes a while to get used to the issues and work around them. Until you can’t. At which point you can sell the cameras for parts on eBay. Ha Ha. (Seriously - I just did that and made a few bucks for the trouble.)

[@NYCWendy1]

@@FAIRVIEWCRITTERCAMS thank you so much for your reply. I have to check it out!

[@willieboy7597]

Wild Turkey 101

[@emilydill9357]

What a handsome man.

[@RickySTT]

0:56 “As God as my witness...”

[@joshkrone4841]

So does the drumming sound like the bird shaking its feathers?

[@FAIRVIEWCRITTERCAMS]

The drumming is super low-bass. Almost like the sound after a drop of water hits a body of water - but much deeper sounding. If it’s a windy day, you probably wouldn’t hear it in person. It’s harder to hear the the drumming sound on a cell phone or mobile device since those smaller speakers can’t handle the full bass spectrum. The sound should be easier to hear on a desktop computer if you aren’t able to hear it on your phone or tablet. 🦃 Thanks for watching.

[@gsquared2394]

I don’t hear the drumming without headphones on. Kind of a bummer. Some folks can hear it from quite a distance away.

[@FAIRVIEWCRITTERCAMS]

Yes - unfortunately most mobile devices these days have inferior speakers that cannot handle these naturally low frequencies. I mention this in my video description. Most computer desktop speakers can handle the low bass, but my iPad and iPhone could not. Shame. It was really wonderful listening on headphones, though. It was so impressive to me. No wonder the girls are charmed.

[@carenxatu5962]

I don’t know if this is normal courtship behaviour but to me the tom looked so confused every time he tried. Like: “why is she so immune to my impeccable moves??”

[@FAIRVIEWCRITTERCAMS]

I know!! I actually made a silly video with captions about just that very thing. THE TALE OF TURKEY TOM and the THREE ELUSIVE HENS kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z5bMgWOJa6ympdU

[@hallerd]

whats the turkey doing with its beak at 1:10? Something analogous to a flehmens response?

[@FAIRVIEWCRITTERCAMS]

Hmmm. Interesting. I’m not sure. I wasn’t able to find anything on the Flehman’s response in wild turkeys. I wonder if turkeys have the same organ in the roof of their mouth that many other mammals do.

[@hallerd]

@@FAIRVIEWCRITTERCAMS they're not mammals so probably not but it looks very similar

[@quackslikeaduck]

Subtle

[@jennamichie7245]

I’m curious, my turkey does this to me. Is he trying to dominate or mate me? Or is it different if it’s done to humans maybe he’s trying to fight ?

[@FAIRVIEWCRITTERCAMS]

That’s a fascinating question. Wish i knew the answer! I’m sure you could find some answers by researching blogs or write-ups from other folks who raise turkeys. This video was captured in early spring when the Tom-dude was obviously trying to impress the hens.

[@ocavant]

So is the "drum" sound actually the wings dragging on the ground?

[@FAIRVIEWCRITTERCAMS]

I don’t think so - it seems to come from within the body. Perhaps it’s similar to the drumming by ruffed grouses? I haven’t been able to find a scientific consensus on exactly how Toms create their drumming sounds, but they are at such a deep bass register, they couldn’t possibly be made by the sounds of wings on the ground. Although the two sounds - the drumming and the drag often happen simultaneously, or in close sequence.

[@crowcawler2011]

The shaking sound are his wings vibrating while dragging them, the spit sound is from his mouth and the drum comes from a big sack or air pouch/bladder thing about the size of a softball inside him. A lot of times a gobbler will come in behind you without gobbling (sneaking) and you have no idea until you hear that unmistakable sound and know that for you to be hearing that means he is really close. It will get your attention real quick!!

[@aubreewhite744]

Where was this ??

[@FAIRVIEWCRITTERCAMS]

Western North Carolina - in the mountains north of Asheville

[@annaritaranalli2902]

Male 's gorgeous but also female has got an amazing beauty

[@FAIRVIEWCRITTERCAMS]

Yes! I love the iridescence.

[@annaritaranalli2902]

Do they live in u..s.a?

[@FAIRVIEWCRITTERCAMS]

@@annaritaranalli2902 Yes. We are in the mountains of western North Carolina.

[@mehreenaahmad2442]

What's that called when he raises his feathers and gets all puffy lol

[@FAIRVIEWCRITTERCAMS]

I think that’s their “Strut” - a typical male strutting their stuff to get the attention of the girl-hens’. I made a silly video about this behavior, just for grins: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z5bMgWOJa6ympdU

[@mehreenaahmad2442]

@@FAIRVIEWCRITTERCAMS Thanks!

[@Isheian]

Ok I can’t hear anything I’d call drumming. I hear the wing tips dragging and a high pitched chirp sound which I assume to be the “spitting”. Am I missing it or what

[@FAIRVIEWCRITTERCAMS]

If you are listening on a portable device like an iPad or iPhone, that’s probably why you can’t really hear the drumming. The sound of the drumming is such a subtle, deep, deep bass - I can only really hear it on my desktop computer. I included the same footage on this compilation. The drumming happens around 3:18. I’m still learning about FinalCutPro, but I did try to enhance the bass register a bit so people could hear it a little better. In hindsight, I could have tweaked the audio further. There’s still too much treble going on that masks the bass. I can just make out the drumming on my little iPad. When I worked with this footage on my desktop, though, it was easy to hear and differentiate the bass register from all the upper register “spitting” and “dragging.” kzbin.info/www/bejne/npS3h6h_hp2mhZo

[@Isheian]

@@FAIRVIEWCRITTERCAMS I was watching on my iPhone, I'll have to try on something with a bass hooked up. I'm retired Army EOD, so there's hearing damage to contend with as well. I had to ask to figure out if it was just me having the issue. I am going for my first ever hunt or spring turkey and am studying to try and improve my odds! Thanks for the reply, like I'll try something that is better able to produce the sound.

[@alfonsedente9679]

Hes a Ballchinnian!

[@FAIRVIEWCRITTERCAMS]

😂

[@kevinflaherty7592]

I've always had a difficult time hearing a gobbler drumming.its a very low frequency.

[@annaritaranalli2902]

What beautiful and fat animals they 're...turkeys 're pretty similiar to peacocks

[@FAIRVIEWCRITTERCAMS]

They’ve got that “Strut” thing down, don’t they. This is such a great time of year. I look forward to seeing more of this kind of dance routine with various animals this spring.

[@hazelkagey6739]

Boys are such 'show offs'. Handsome guy with no girl turkey in sight, knew he was making his world debut!

[@jcryptogoldsilv2826]

You sound special

[@hazelkagey6739]

@@jcryptogoldsilv2826 I take that as a compliment. Thank you.

[@jcryptogoldsilv2826]

Lol of course you do

[@bigal25938]

I never did hear him drum.

[@FAIRVIEWCRITTERCAMS]

It's there. You might be listening on a portable device? It's a super low, subtle bass sound, which most portable devices can't replicate very well, unfortunately. If you listen on a desktop computer speaker you should be able to hear it. I did boost the bass a bit more when I included this same footage in a compilation video of footage from this same bear tree. The Tom clip comes on at the 3:04 mark. Turn volume all the way up and you might be able to hear it better on this clip? The Bear Tree in Four Seasons: kzbin.info/www/bejne/npS3h6h_hp2mhZo

[@bigal25938]

@@FAIRVIEWCRITTERCAMS listening on an ipad. I been hunting for turkeys for fifty year. Heard hundreds of them drumming in the woods. Will try a laptop. Thanks.

[@ChJeHe]

Noise canceling headphones and it’s very clear.

[@CNNBlackmailSupport]

What is the noise at 00:45 called. The one that sounds like after youve checked the air pressure on a tire and are pulling the gauge off.