This Turkey Tuesday is about an activity that wild turkeys partake in every day – preening. Preening is an important maintenance behavior that sees the bird use their beaks to arrange, clean, and oil feathers by spreading secretions from the uropygial gland across the feathers. The uropygial gland is located at the base of the tail and produces oily secretions that when distributed on the feathers, help them repel water. If you look closely at a turkey that’s preening, you’ll see that the bird actually pulls the feathers through their beak. This action aligns and forces the barbs that grow from the rachis (shaft) of the feather, and the barbules that grow from the barbs to interlock – kind of like a zipper. This consistent realignment of the structures that comprise the feather ensures that the feather remains rigid, and by preening consistently on a daily basis – the bird ensures that the feathers provide waterproofing and insulation. In fact, preening is so important that many birds will spend a significant portion of their day dedicated to this self-maintenance behavior. If you watch turkeys preen, you’ll also likely notice that this behavior signals a bird that is calm and content – they are less focused on being alert and more focused on taking time to maintain themselves. Hence, if you see a bird preening, it is a clear signal that the bird feels safe. The take home is preening is an important self-maintenance behavior in the wild turkey world that ensures the integrity and function of the bird’s feathers.
Pic by Monte Loomis
