turkey dust bath
Justin Hoffman

Video: Have You Ever Watched a Turkey Take a Bath?

We can assure you there's no nudity involved.

Turkeys take baths just like you and me. But instead of soaking in a tub of hot sudsy water, they prefer a more primitive method you'd assume would make them even dirtier. You see, turkeys take "dust baths" by flapping and shuffling in the dry soil and sand to their heart's content. And there's a reason they do it.

A turkey dust bath is part of a bird's plumage maintenance that keeps feathers in top condition. Turkeys will flap frantically in the dirt to spread dust over their entire bodies. Doing so keeps feathers from becoming greasy or matted. And as you're about to see, it's definitely a flock affair, with some members of the group weaseling their way in to a steal a prime spot from a sibling or friend.

I captured the following footage on my Cabela's 14MP Black Infrared Trail Camera. I positioned it at the edge of a soy bean field in hopes of filming some velvet bucks coming in to feed. As many of us know, however, what you record on your camera is always a surprise.

Here's the video:

The nice thing about their style is they never need a towel.

This is just another example of the cool things your trail camera can capture.

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