Toms, gobbler turkeys, are interesting to watch during their spring rituals. It's this time of the year when it is easiest to separate male turkeys from hens.

Generally, gobblers have beards and hens do not. Even though beards are modified feathers, they do not molt as other feathers do. Each leg on a gobbler has one spur, a bony core covered with keratin. The longest spurs recorded were about two inches long. Various caruncles adorn a gobbler's head and are most prominent in spring, when the bird is excited.

Gobblers are larger and blacker than hens. They also display during mating...