This is Bird Note.

That's the gobble of a Tom turkey, a big male.

He weighs nearly 25 pounds.

That rubbery, gurgling sound is his way of telling nearby hens that he's eager for company. It's also his

way of telling nearby Tom's to back off. It's spring, and the mating season is in full flush.

If he's lucky, a hen might yelp in reply.

I'm here, she says,

letting him know she's receptive to a mate.

With his brilliantly colored plumage fanned out in display,

this tom is a handsome sight to behold.

He has a bright red head, long spurs, and a beard.

This beard is a small cluster of bristles that sprouts from the bird's chest plumage.

It looks like a misplaced ponytail.

The older the tom, the longer the beard. If a hen turkey likes what she sees, she'll crouch as a signal that she's ready to mate.

After mating, the two birds go their separate ways.

When the breeding season wanes, hens will lay eggs and sit their nests.

With any luck, baby turkeys should arrive

about a month later. For bird note, I'm Michael Stein.