I took a few photos of a Wild Turkey Hen while she was taking a dirt bath at my place near the Ouachita National Forest in Arkansas.
Wild turkeys often take dirt baths to keep their feathers clean and free of parasites. This is a natural behavior and can be observed in many areas across the United States. During a dirt bath, the turkey rolls around in dirt and dust, flapping its wings and ensuring that it is completely covered. This helps the turkey to maintain its feathers in optimal condition and get rid of any parasites.
Here are some interesting facts about wild turkeys taking dirt baths:
- Dust bathing is a form of grooming for wild turkeys. They dig shallow pits and then fluff sand, dust, or fine wood ash over their bodies, working it into their feathers and then shaking it out to remove crawling critters, skin debris, and excess oil.
- Turkeys often engage in dust bathing together, and it can be a social activity for them. They might dust every day if possible, and some turkeys appear to enjoy it.
- Some turkeys might dust-bathe quickly, while others take longer to flop and toss dirt around. They might repeatedly dust at a favored spot, which creates a bowl-like depression.
- In addition to dust bathing, turkeys engage in other preening behaviors such as sunning, anting, feather preening, and stretching. All of these behaviors are important for their health and survival.
