Turkeys Everywhere!

-->

Turkey footprints in the snow. You can't tell by the photo, but they're quite large!

One morning before sunrise, I heard the strangest sound. It was a gurgling noise, medium-pitched, definitely from an animal . . . and it sounded like it was coming from up in the trees. Wondering for a moment if the neighbors had gotten chickens, it came to me. It wasn’t a gurgle, it was a gobble! Turkeys.

Last fall wild turkeys were everywhere – or at least that’s how it seemed here in my neighborhood in Marshfield. Our property borders woods and wetlands, so we see all sorts of creatures pass through. At first the turkeys roamed in flocks of up to 50 – yes, fifty! – but the numbers decreased dramatically as the season wore on. Given the bold way they crossed even the busiest roads, I imagine the thinning was due as much to jaywalking as predation.

We didn’t see much of them as winter began, but after the first major snowfall in January, they were back. Perhaps they were here all along, lying low. Perhaps the snow drove them out of their natural habitat and onto the roads – the only bare ground available. I was often amused to see them racing up the street ahead of my car -- their own version of our annual Turkey Trot?

By early March, the turkeys had taken up residence in our backyard. We fed the (other) birds religiously this winter, so the snow under the feeders became littered with black sunflower shells. The turkeys discovered this and henceforth our yard became a regular stop on their morning rounds. They’d hang out on the snow drifts (and later, ice mounds) below the feeders, and then eventually move to the small spot of bare ground in the front yard, rooting around and leaving us “gifts” on the lawn.

The wild turkey is a large bird. Mature males weigh in the range of 16-24 pounds, with females typically half that size. Both have long scaly legs. The male has a coarse hairy “beard” protruding from its chest.

You might not recognize a wild turkey right away because it doesn’t quite resemble our iconic Thanksgiving mascot. It’s more streamlined, less colorful. Wild turkeys are black or bronze, with white bars on their wings. Their heads are bluish gray, except in certain moods when they turn red. However when a male displays its plumage, it’s quite familiar – puffed out and iridescently colorful, with red, green, copper and gold. (The females are duller in color.) 

A wild turkey surveys the snowy landscape, in search of sustenance.

 Wild turkeys gather in flocks, where there is a determined pecking order. Certain males (toms or gobblers) and females (hens) assume dominant roles, while others have fewer privileges. For example, the more mature males typically are first in line for mating, crowding the juveniles (jakes) out of the way.

Speaking of mating . . . ‘tis the season right now! In our area, wild turkeys begin to feel that primal urge in mid-March. It continues through the spring, peaking in late April or early May. Turkeys court in groups, the toms mating with as many hens as they can. First a tom will gobble to announce its presence. Then a hen will yelp in response, to reveal its location. Then a tom will display -- puffing out its feathers, spreading its tail, and dragging its wings – strutting all the while. They find each other and the dance begins. (You can find videos on YouTube if you really want to know . . . )

A hen lays eggs after her first congress of the season (she may mate more than once). First she creates a nest on the ground in a wooded area. The nest is not very deep – just a shallow depression that she lines with leaves. In it, she will lay an average of 12-15 eggs, one per day, and then sit with them, occasionally turning them, until they have incubated fully (27 or 28 days). Fewer than half of the hatchlings survive. Cold wet weather and predators such as foxes, coyotes, raccoons, skunks and other rodents, snakes, and hawks keep the numbers low.

By early June, the hens and their broods are out and about. The young stay with their mothers throughout the summer and into the fall – generally for four to five months, although the females may stick around longer. Due to predation, only about half of the chicks will survive their first six months.

Wild turkeys enjoy a wide variety of foods. The young feed primarily on insects, while the older birds consume acorns, nuts, seeds, berries, tubers and other plant materials. You may even see them snacking on skunk cabbage.

Wild turkeys are active during the day, when their vision is good. At night, they fly up into the relative safety of tall trees, to roost. Have you seen wild turkey in flight? They are not graceful birds. “Ungainly” might be the best descriptor. Typically they fly close to the ground, and for short distances (up to a quarter mile). However they are capable of flying 55mph. They can run about half that speed.

Mass Wildlife publishes an excellent website with information about many of the creatures who make their home in our state (see links below.) A full page is dedicated to “Preventing Conflicts with Wild Turkeys,” which gives you some indication of the trouble they can cause. In short, it’s best not to feed them. They have access to plenty of natural food sources, but if you let them become accustomed to your own supply, they may become reliant on it. Moreover, they will make a nuisance of themselves – damaging your property (peck, peck, peck!) and leaving behind waste.

If you encounter a wild turkey, Mass Wildlife recommends that you maintain the upper hand. Once a turkey knows it can intimidate you, it will not back down. Turkeys classify other animals based on their behavior, so your actions will determine where you fit into their pecking order. Act male – be bold and don’t let them bully you. If you behave more submissively, they may display at you, peck at or follow you, or harass you with the intent to mate. The idea is amusing, but it might not be fun in real life.

Sources:

http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dfg/dfw/fish-wildlife-plants/wild-turkeys.html

http://www.nwtf.org/all_about_turkeys/wild_turkey_facts.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wild_turkey

by Kezia Bacon

March, 2015 
 

Kezia Bacon's articles appear courtesy of the North and South Rivers Watershed Association, a local non-profit organization devoted to the preservation, restoration, maintenance and conservation of the North and South Rivers and their watershed. For membership information and a copy of their latest newsletter, contact NSRWA at (781) 659-8168 or visit www.nsrwa.org. To browse 15 years of Nature (Human and Otherwise) columns, visit http://keziabaconbernstein.blogspot.com

Wild Turkeys in Our Midst

A common sighting: wild turkeys in the road.

On a recent Sunday morning, a neighbor saw a turkey pecking at my dad’s home-office door in Marshfield. Across town, I spied a small flock of turkeys strutting across my back yard. We are used to squirrels and chipmunks frolicking in the yard, but turkeys? Even in big cities, wild turkey sightings are becoming more and more the norm.

Wild turkeys are not new to New England, but it has been a long time since it was common to see one anywhere other than on the dinner table. In Colonial times, turkeys were quite prevalent, but like many other species, they were hunted or driven away as human settlement expanded. By the early 1800s, a wild turkey was a rare sight -- largely because the hardwood forests they called home had been cut down.

There were attempts to reintroduce turkeys to Massachusetts in the early to mid- twentieth century, but these all proved unsuccessful. However in the early 1970s a flock of 37 wild turkeys were set free in Berkshire County, and by 1978, the turkey population had grown to 1,000. Some of these birds were relocated elsewhere in the state, and now the estimated turkey population is more than 15,000.

When you see a wild turkey, there’s no mistaking it for another bird. A male turkey, or tom, is large – 16-24 lbs. – and when it struts, its head turns bright red. Across short distances, it can run up to 20 miles per hour. Its feathers are black or brown, with white bars on the wings, and a hair-like “beard” extends from its breast. During mating season, mid-March to early May, it puffs out its feathers, fans its tail, and gobbles. As you may already have discovered, it’s a little scary and a little weird to encounter one at close range.

The hens are smaller, only 9-12 lbs. After mating, a turkey hen lays 12-15 eggs in a shallow leaf-lined nest on the ground. These hatch after about a month, so in early June we begin to see baby turkeys, or poults, . . . as long as the foxes don’t get them. Soon after hatching, the poults instinctively follow their mother, who provides protection and food. They learn quickly how to climb into trees at night, where it is safer to roost.

Wild turkeys live in flocks, and each flock has its own system of social ranking. This “pecking order” determines which turkeys are dominant over the others. This is not a pun – the dominant bird actually has the privilege to peck on a bird of lesser rank. This behavior can be a nuisance – or downright frightening – if a turkey deems a human or other animal as subordinate. Especially during breeding season, a turkey is prone to peck at or attack any potential threat. In addition to other animals, turkeys sometimes peck at shiny objects like cars -- or even reflections.

But you don’t have to worry about a wild turkey actually eating you. They consume a primarily vegetarian diet, including acorns, nuts, grapes, skunk cabbage, plus some berries and tubers. They will also scratch at the ground in search of food. Poults also eat insects.

Turkeys are fascinating to observe, especially from a distance, or through a window where’s there’s no threat of attack. The Massachusetts Department of Fish and Wildlife offers these tips for preventing conflicts with turkeys.

• Don’t Feed Turkeys. Feeding, whether direct or indirect, can cause turkeys to act tame and may lead to bold or aggressive behavior, especially in the breeding season.

• Keep Bird Feeder Areas Clean. Use feeders designed to keep seed off the ground, as the seed attracts turkeys and other wild animals. Clean up spilled seed from other types of feeders daily. Remove feeders in the spring, as there is plenty of natural food available for all birds.

• 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.

• Protect Your Gardens and Crops. You can harass turkeys searching for food in your gardens. Dogs tethered on a run can also be effective in scaring turkeys away from gardens. Netting is another option to employ. In agricultural situations, some scare devices are effective.

• Educate Your Neighbors. Your efforts will be futile 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.

Sources:
www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/dfwturk.htm
www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A11162-2004Nov24.html
www.post-gazette.com/pg/05327/611403.stm
www.birding.about.com/od/birdsturkeys/a/wildturkeys.htm

By Kezia Bacon-Bernstein, correspondent
April 2007

Kezia Bacon-Bernstein's articles appear courtesy of the North and South Rivers Watershed Association, a local non-profit organization devoted to the preservation, restoration, maintenance and conservation of the North and South Rivers and their watershed. For membership information and a copy of their latest newsletter, contact NSRWA at (781) 659-8168.