Eastern Wild Turkey

Overview

Turkeys need large areas with open midstory forests for visibility, diverse mast, and strategic openings for brood habitat; they avoid dense, young stands and high‑disturbance areas. 

Natural History

Food

Acorns; ash/beech seeds; berries/fruits; green leaves; tubers; flowers; insects; snails; occasional small animals; poults rely heavily on insects early. 

Cover

Roost in trees; forage in open midstory forests, grasslands, and crop fields; brood habitat is low‑growing grasses/forbs open enough for chick movement. 

Reproduction

Ground nests (Apr–Jun); 10–12 eggs; incubation 26–28 days; young fly at ~14 days. 

Home Range & Survival

Ranges are several thousand acres; average life <2 years. 

Habitat Requirements

Mature hardwoods and thinned/burned pines; 10–50% of the landscape in openings for brood habitat; retain streamside hardwoods as travel lanes. 

Management Recommendations

Thin/burn pine stands to open midstory; manage openings with burning/mowing/grazing or grain/legume rotations; include scattered trees and occasional shrub clumps for shade and soft mast.