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Conservation History: Reports indicate that wild turkeys were abundant in New York State during the 1600's. However, the combination of uncontrolled hunting and the intensive clearing of forests resulted in the demise of native populations. In 1844, the last recorded observation of native wild turkeys came from extreme southwestern New York State . The return of the wild turkey to New York State is truly a success story in the field of wildlife conservation. Wild turkey populations in New York State have increased dramatically from an estimated 2,000 in 1959 to over 65,000 in 1990. Description : Adult wild turkeys stand three to four feet tall and have a wingspread of four to five feet. Like all birds, turkeys weigh much less than people assume from their appearance. “Toms” or male wild turkeys weigh only about 16 to 24 pounds; females, called hens, are smaller - about 9 to 12 pounds. Male turkeys have several other features that distinguish them from female turkeys. The most reliable characteristic used to determine the sex of a wild turkey is the plumage, or feathers. The plumage of males appears to change from rust to green to copper to bronze to gold depending on the brightness and angle of the sun. Also, the breast feathers on males are tipped with black. Toms sport a hair-like “beard” which protrudes from the breast bone. When a tom is displaying during the breeding season, its head turns a bright red. In comparison, the plumage of females appears dull and generally brown in color, and the breast feathers are tipped with light tan. The duller color of hens helps to camouflage them when nesting or tending young. Life History: Turkeys are active during the day, roosting at night to avoid predators. In residential areas, it is not uncommon for turkeys to roost on railings, roofs, or sometimes on vehicles. Gobbling, during breeding season, usually starts around mid-March, peaking in mid May. This is when the males puff out their feathers, fan their tails and “strut their stuff.” This is also the time when toms are more likely to show aggression to people. Hens lay eggs after the first mating. The nest is a shallow, leaf-lined depression on the ground, and contains 12 to 15 eggs. Hatching occurs after an incubation period of 28 days. Nests are highly vulnerable to destruction by raccoons, skunks, and opossums, and only about 35% of nests are successful in producing young. If first nests are destroyed, hens will often renest. Young turkeys, called poults, leave the nest within hours after hatching. Broods usually appear in the first week of June. During the first two weeks of life, poult losses often exceed 50%, and these losses may result from predation, hypothermia, or becoming lost. Males do not participate in any aspect of nesting or rearing of the young. Young turkeys remain with their mother for at least 4 to 5 months. Turkeys learn from each other, often by imitation, and, by associating with older more experienced birds, remember the layout of their home ranges and the location of various foods. Two or more hens will often gather their young together in a “crèche” and share the care of the young. If a human is too near a group of poults, one hen may approach the human and do a bluffing display for distraction while other hens escort the young to safety. Food: Adult turkeys feed mainly on plant material, including acorns, nuts (especially hickory), grapes, skunk cabbage, barberry and other berries and tubers. They will scratch the ground seeking food. Poults feed heavily on insects during the summer and, because of this, help to control many insect pests. During the winter, turkeys can scratch through four to six inches of snow to find food. Prolonged periods of heavy snow cover result in population declines. The Pecking Order: Wild turkeys live in flocks organized by “pecking order.” This pecking order is a social ranking in which each bird is dominant over birds of lesser social status. Pecking order has implications for people and nuisance turkeys. Turkeys may attempt to dominate people that the birds view as subordinates. This behavior is most noticeable during breeding season. Once bold behavior is established, it can be difficult to change. Turkeys may also respond aggressively to shiny objects or reflections. Since the stimulus to drive away the “intruder” is strong, and since the reflection does not disappear when the turkey confronts it, the bird will often continually display towards or attack the reflection until changing light conditions cause it to vanish. Since wild turkeys are well established in Westchester County , we recommended against removing individual birds as a solution to aggression problems. Other turkeys will move in to repopulate the area if it is suitable turkey habitat and the problem will reoccur without a change in human behavior. A more holistic and earth-friendly approach is for humans to modify their behavior in the presence of wild turkeys. Even as responsible dog owners learn to establish caring dominance with their dog to teach it good manners, people need to do this with wild turkeys! DON’T LET TURKEYS INTIMIDATE YOU — Don’t hesitate to scare or threaten a bold, aggressive turkey with loud noises, swatting with a broom or water sprayed from a hose. A dog on a leash is also an effective deterrent. COVER WINDOWS OR OTHER REFLECTIVE OBJECTS — If a turkey is pecking at a shiny object such as a vehicle or window, cover or otherwise disguise the object. Harass the bird by chasing it, squirting with a hose or other means of aggression. EDUCATE YOUR NEIGHBORS — Pass this information along: Your efforts will not be as effective if neighbors are providing food for turkeys or neglecting to act boldly towards the birds. It requires the efforts of the entire neighborhood to help keep wild turkeys wild. [ Download this info as a 2 pg Word doc ] Online sources and references for above text Past Feature -- Cavity Nesters Past Feature -- Coyotes Coyotes in New York Coyote Natural History Tim's Coyote Page
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