Male turkeys gobble to attract female turkeys in the spring, but the daily factors that control why and how much an individual turkey gobbles remain a mystery to experts.The puzzle soon may be solved, however, thanks to a high tech turkey necklace developed by the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. News of the project was announced in a recent press release issued by the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF), an organization comprised of turkey hunters that is sponsoring the research.

According to Gary Norman, a Virginia biologist who studies wild turkeys, the mystery of turkey gobbling arose from observations made by animal experts and hunters in the wild.

"On some days in the spring," Norman told Discovery News, "male turkeys would be gobbling their heads off. On other days, there would be virtual silence. We are curious to find out if gobbling is affected by the weather, predators like coyotes, or even if a big, mean turkey has moved into the neighborhood and scared everyone into silence."

To help answer these questions, Norman and his colleagues have developed a microchip located in a radio transmitter that can be hung around a male turkey's neck.


View: Full Article | Source: Discovery Channel