Albino Turkeys in Southeatsern Ontario

[bpmcmillan]

I hunt turkeys in SE Ontario, Canada, near Belleville. The population is extremely healthy in this area. Something I've observed for the last several years, is that it seems we have a higher than average number of albino turkeys. I'm told by our Provincial Natural Resources staff that the birds in this area were brought in for repopulation10-15 years ago from Central Michigan. I'm wondering if the albinos are as common in Michigan as well??

The colouring of the albinos in this area is like wood ashes; kind of a greyish-beige with darker checking scattered across the body. Really quite striking! I hope no one would ever shoot or take one of these rarities! I love turkey too, but I think it would be a sin to harvest one.

Anyone else seen albinos?

[proturkeyhntr]

Hmmmmm, albino is the absence of pigment, so your true albino will be white with pink eyes correct??? Sounds as if these birds are actually smokey grey phase birds.....

scott

[BuckNBeard Hunter]

I would actually do my best to harvest those, the pigment makes them very succeptable to predators. It would probably be best to get those genetics out of the flock.

[nwtflimbhanger]

I agree studies have shown that the birds your are talking about are just in the grey colour phase. I now this because i to hunt in Ontario and have help do some studies on these birds.

[PHammond91]

I've seen a couple albinos. One I called in for my brother, it was only half albino. It was pretty cool I didn't know there were half albinos. I also shot an albino doe. Got her mounted in my livin room.

[proturkeyhntr]

There arent half albinos....albino is a genetic condition, either its full albino or not. Your bird had some other genetic disorder...

scott