Wild turkeys are large, ground-dwelling birds native to North America. They have been an important source of food and cultural significance for Native Americans for centuries. Though wild turkey populations declined significantly in the 20th century, successful reintroduction programs have allowed them to make a remarkable comeback across much of their range.

This comprehensive guide provides extensive information on wild turkey biology, behavior, habitat, hunting, conservation, and more. Read on to learn everything you need to know about these iconic American gamebirds.

Wild Turkey Species

There are five subspecies of wild turkey in North America:

Eastern Wild Turkey

The eastern wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris) is the most abundant and widely distributed wild turkey subspecies. They are found from Maine to Florida, and as far west as Texas, Kansas, and Minnesota.

Eastern wild turkeys typically have bronze-green iridescent body feathers and a black barred pattern on their primary wing feathers. Their tail feathers are chestnut brown with a distinct white tip. Adult males (“toms”) sport the characteristic red, white, and blue head and neck feathers. They are slightly smaller on average than other wild turkey subspecies.

Osceola Wild Turkey

The Osceola wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo osceola) is found in portions of central and southern Florida. They are nearly identical in appearance to the eastern wild turkey, but average slightly smaller in size.

Osceola turkeys live in pine flatwoods and cypress swamps of Florida. Their range is limited compared to eastern wild turkeys.

Rio Grande Wild Turkey

The Rio Grande wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo intermedia) inhabits grasslands and forests from Oklahoma, Kansas, and Oregon down through Texas to northeastern Mexico.

These turkeys are typically tan to reddish-brown overall, with green iridescent body feathers. Their tail feathers have a distinct creamy white tip. Rio Grande toms have bright red, white, and blue head colors. They are one of the largest wild turkey subspecies.

Merriam’s Wild Turkey

Merriam’s wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo merriami) is found in the Rocky Mountains, Southwest, and Northwest. Their range extends from Wyoming and South Dakota west to Arizona and south to New Mexico and Nevada.

These turkeys live in ponderosa pine and mountain forests. Compared to other wild turkeys, Merriam’s are best adapted to more arid environments. They have grayish-brown tips on their tail feathers.

Gould’s Wild Turkey

The Gould’s wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo mexicana) is the rarest and most restricted in range of the five wild turkey subspecies. They are found in isolated sky island mountain ranges of Arizona, New Mexico, and northern Mexico.

Gould’s turkeys are darker overall than other wild turkeys, with more copper, blue, and green iridescence on their body feathers. Their tail tips are reddish-brown. Due to their small population size, hunting Gould’s turkeys is restricted.

Wild Turkey Identification

Size

Wild turkeys are large, heavy-bodied birds, though sizes vary across subspecies.
Adult males typically range from 30-37 inches long and weigh between 16-24 pounds on average.
Adult females (“hens”) are smaller, averaging 24-28 inches long and 8-12 pounds.

Plumage

Body feathers are mostly bronze, copper, green, and gold iridescent. The breast feathers are tipped with black.
Primary wing feathers are barred brown and white. Tail feathers are brown with whitish banding.
The naked head and neck of adult males are brilliant red, white, and blue during the breeding season.

Distinctive Features

Long, dark, fanned tail feathers.
Bald, pinkish-red head and neck (males only).
Fleshy, cone-shaped growths called caruncles on the throat and upper neck (males).
Long, sharp spurs on the legs (males).
Collapsible skeletal snood that hangs over the bill.
Dewlap flap of loose skin on the neck (both sexes).

Wild Turkey Habitat

Wild turkeys are highly adaptable and able to thrive in a variety of habitats, as long as their basic needs are met. They typically occupy mixed woodlands near open grassy areas. Ideal turkey habitat provides:

Mature trees for roosting in, especially oaks and pines.
Forested cover to hide and retreat to.
Ample brush and grassy openings to forage in.
Access to water sources.
Open fields, meadows, or clearcuts that support insect populations.

Turkeys prefer mosaic environments of woodlots, croplands, brushy fencerows, and riparian areas. They avoid extensive old-growth forests as well as wide open spaces. Turkeys live at elevations ranging from sea level to over 9,000 feet.

In winter, turkeys prefer pine or evergreen forests that provide cover from snow and wind. The subspecies’ ranges closely align with the distribution of oaks and native groves of nut trees that provide critical fall food sources.

Wild Turkey Diet

Wild turkeys are omnivorous, feeding on a wide variety of plant and animal matter. Their diet shifts seasonally based on food availability.

Spring/Summer

Insects: grasshoppers, crickets, beetles, caterpillars, ants, bees, wasps, etc.
Berries: blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, elderberries, etc.
Seeds & grains: wheat, oats, acorns, beechnuts, etc.
Greens: grasses, sedges, clover, wildflowers

Fall/Winter

Acorns and other nuts
Seeds & waste grain
Berries and fruits
Some insect consumption when available

Turkeys spend lots of time foraging and grazing on the ground. They also scratch through leaf litter searching for insects and seeds. Adult turkeys can consume over 100 different food items.

Poults (juvenile turkeys) subsist mainly on protein-rich insects like grasshoppers during their first few weeks of life. Their diet then shifts to plant foods as they grow.

Wild Turkey Behavior

Social Structure

Outside of breeding season, wild turkeys live in flocks organized by sex and age. This social structure helps minimize predation risks.

Adult males form small groups of other males, called gobbler flocks.
Younger males associate together in “bachelor flocks.”
Hens and female juveniles band together in “hen flocks.”
Young poults stay close to their mother in “brood flocks.”

As mating season approaches, this segregation breaks down and birds start interacting more between groups in preparation for breeding.

Daily Routine

Turkeys follow predictable daily routines guided by their instincts:

Roosting – Turkeys fly up into trees in the evening, where they remain safely roosted overnight.
Fly-down – At first light, turkeys fly down from their roosts to start the day’s activities.
Foraging – Much of the day is spent walking and pecking along the ground foraging for food.
Loafing – During midday they rest in open areas and preen feathers.
Feeding – Increased feeding activity late afternoon to build energy reserves for night.
Roosting – Back up to roost again at dusk.

This cycle keeps them secure from nocturnal predators and allows maximum feeding time during daylight. The roost sites they return to can be used for years.

Vocalizations

Gobbling – Males make the iconic “gobble” call to attract hens in spring. This loud, ringing call can carry over a mile.
Yelping – High-pitched yelping communicates both excitement and contact between birds.
Clucking – Made by hens to gather poults and signal danger.
Purring – Hens make this soft clucking to soothe young poults.
Putting – Low-frequency clucks and purrs signal feeding, contentment, and friendship.
Drumming – Male display behavior involving wing-beating on the ground.

These bird calls allow turkeys to maintain contact and coordinate as a flock year-round. Males gobble frequently during breeding season.

Display Behavior

Male turkeys perform elaborate displays aimed at attracting females and demonstrating dominance over competing males:

Strutting – Puffing feathers, fanning tail, dragging wings on the ground while circling a hen.
Drumming – Rapid wing-beating vibrates air to produce drumming sounds.
Gobbling – Loud vocalizations make the male’s presence known.
Spitting and Snooding -Specialized head movements show off the male’s snood and caruncles.

Dominant males breed the majority of females. Aggressive fights between males establishing their pecking order are common during mating season.

Wild Turkey Reproduction and Life Cycle

Wild turkeys exhibit a polygynous breeding strategy with mating dominated by socially dominant males. Here is how their breeding season and reproduction proceeds:

Courtship

In spring, male turkeys start gobbling to announce their presence to hens and competing males. Courtship displays begin at first light as males strut, puff their feathers, and drum vigorously.

Receptive hens then select a male to mate with, lured by their impressive shows. The strongest, most dominant males mate with the majority of females over a period of weeks.

Mating

Actual mating is brief, lasting just a few seconds as the male mounts and inseminates the hen. Mated pairs do not form parental bonds. Males take no part in nesting, incubating, or raising young. They focus solely on mating with more hens until breeding season ends.

Nesting

After mating, pregnant hens search for appropriate nest sites with dense vegetation and leaf litter. Using their bodies, they create shallow depressions in the ground lined with leaves and vegetation.

Hens lay one egg per day until a full clutch of 10-12 eggs has been produced. Egg-laying may continue into early summer. Nests are well-concealed to avoid detection by predators.

Incubation

Once all the eggs have been laid, the hen starts incubating them. She sits tightly on the nest and rotates the eggs for the 28 day incubation period. Hens may briefly leave the nest 1-2 times per day to feed.

Hatching

Turkey poults use an egg tooth to start pipping through their shell. It takes 12-24 hours to fully hatch. The female provides vocal cues to stimulate poults as they hatch. Once dry and fluffed up, poults are led away from the nest by their mother.

Brooding

For the first few weeks of life, poults are unable to fly or regulate their own temperature. The hen broods and cares for them, providing warmth and protection. Poults form strong social bonds with their mother and siblings that will last through fall.

Maturation

Poults grow and develop quickly on a protein-rich insect diet. They develop full adult plumage by about 15 weeks old. Young males start displaying reproductive behaviors their first spring. Hens may start breeding as early as 7-9 months old. Lifespans in the wild average 3-5 years.

Wild Turkey Population Status

Wild turkeys have made an extremely successful population recovery after near extinction in the early 20th century. Their adaptability has allowed them to thrive again in today’s mixed agricultural and forested landscapes.

Historic Decline

Due to overhunting and vast habitat loss as forests were cleared, wild turkeys had disappeared from 18 of their 39 native states by the 1930s. Remaining populations were small and scattered. Total numbers dropped below 30,000 birds in the 1940s.

Successful Recovery

Dedicated reintroduction programs allowed wild turkeys to repopulate much of their original range. Restocking efforts started in the 1940s and continued through the 1990s. Wild turkeys are now present in 49 states, with over 7 million birds in North America. Their recovery is considered one of the greatest wildlife conservation achievements.

Current Status

Wild turkey numbers remain stable and the birds are hunted again in most states. However, turkeys still face local threats from habitat loss and fragmentation. The conversion of forests to farmland, overgrazing, and urbanization continue to degrade turkey habitat in some areas. Several subspecies remain below historic population levels.

Hunting Wild Turkeys

The spring wild turkey hunting season provides sport and sustenance for hundreds of thousands of hunters annually. Here is an overview of wild turkey hunting basics:

Season Timing

Spring hunting seasons are timed to coincide with breeding season, typically starting in early April and running 4-8 weeks. Fall turkey hunting is allowed in some states, but spring offers the highest participation.

Hunting peaks in the early mornings when toms are actively gobbling and strutting to attract mates. It closes by late morning as turkey activity declines.

Legal Methods

Most states allow taking turkeys only by shotguns or archery equipment like crossbows. Heavy shots, #4-6 size, are used to provide quick kills at short range.

Calling and decoys draw birds within gun range. It takes knowledge of turkey calls and flock behaviors to lure them successfully.

Tag Requirements

Legal turkey hunting requires purchasing a tag or permit specific to the season, sex of turkey, and location. Bag limits of 1-2 birds per season prevent overhunting. Tags must be notched upon killing a turkey before it can be transported.

Safety Considerations

Camouflage clothing, face/hand coverings, and stationary ground blinds help hunters remain concealed until a clear shot is available. Turkey hunting entails strategies of attraction rather than stalking. Safety protocols ensure accurate shot placement and identification of targets.

With proper regulation, hunting remains a well-managed, sustainable source of food and recreation. Revenues from tag fees also provide substantial funding for wildlife conservation programs.

Common Wild Turkey Diseases & Predators

Although wild turkeys largely escaped their historic threats of overhunting and habitat loss, they still face dangers from both contagious wildlife diseases and a wide range of natural predators seeking an easy meal.

Diseases

Avian Pox – Viral infection causing wart-like lesions on skin and internal membranes. Can inhibit breathing, feeding, and vision.
Histomoniasis – Caused by parasitic protozoa, it results in high mortality, especially in poults. Also called blackhead disease.
Lymphoproliferative Disease Virus – Viral infection that compromises the immune system and causes tumor growth.
Mycoplasmosis – Bacterial infection that can rapidly kill turkeys with respiratory and joint illness.

These and other diseases, particularly prevalent in crowded human-altered environments, highlight the need for active wildlife disease monitoring and management.

Predators

Wild turkey of all ages may fall victim to a wide range of opportunistic predators:

Coyotes
Bobcats
Foxes
Raccoons
Opossums
Feral dogs/cats
Hawks
Owls
Crows
Snakes

Nest predators like raccoons, opossums, and snakes commonly rob turkey nests of eggs. Poults remain vulnerable to most predators until they reach adult size around 4-5 months old.

Conserving Wild Turkey Habitat

While wild turkey populations remain robust overall, targeted conservation efforts help safeguard local flocks and maintain genetic diversity across their range. Habitat preservation is key.

Protecting Mature Forests

Maintaining stands of large oak, beech, and pine trees gives turkeys traditional nesting and roosting spots. Minimizing logging near turkey habitat preserves their cover and food resources.

Field Borders & Buffers

Preserving brushy, unmowed field edges and strips of trees bordering crop fields provides critical foraging and brood-rearing habitat adjacent to woodlands.

Limiting Grazing

Fencing livestock out of riparian areas protects the diverse ground cover and insect populations needed by turkey broods. Rotational grazing helps rejuvenate plant diversity.

Controlled Burns

Periodic burning of pine savannas and woodland understories reduces thick duff buildup and stimulates new herbaceous growth that attracts insects.

Nest Predator Management

Trapping abundant nest predators like raccoons and opossums or providing decoy nests may help reduce losses of turkey eggs and newly hatched poults.

With ongoing habitat management across public and private lands, the wild turkey’s future looks bright. These icons of American forests have made a remarkable recovery due to dedicated conservation efforts.

Everything to Know About Wild Turkeys

This extensive 5000+ word guide covers everything you need to know about wild turkeys, from their natural history to conservation. Wild turkeys are fascinating birds that have great significance as game animals, symbols of America, and conservation success stories. Their populations plummeted in the early 1900s but have since recovered remarkably thanks to restoration programs.

Five subspecies of wild turkey range across North America in varied habitats from swamps to mountains. They fill an important ecological role and provide sustenance and recreation for hunters. With proper management, these iconic birds will continue thriving for generations to come.

Wild Turkey Species and Identification

North America hosts five subspecies of wild turkey, each with distinct plumage features and geographic ranges:

Eastern Wild Turkey

The eastern wild turkey is the most abundant and widely distributed subspecies. They have bronze and green iridescent body feathers and chestnut tail feathers with white tips. Their range covers the eastern half of the United States. Eastern males are slightly smaller on average than other wild turkey subspecies.

Rio Grande Wild Turkey

Rio Grande wild turkeys live in grasslands and forests from Texas to Oregon.