Wild Turkeys

One of the most interesting (and slightly intimidating) birds that we have encountered in our backyard is the wild turkey.  Several summers ago, a hen with her chicks ( called poults) flew into our side yard and proceeded from there to explore the rest of the property before they all flew back back into the forest.  With that being said, while I have seen the poults flying frequently, I have rarely seen the adults do so.  The majority of the time they will simply run if they feel threatened.  A neighbor witnessed several turkeys being pursued by a coyote near our homes, and even in this instance, they were jogging instead of flying.

Wild turkeys are know to eat a wide variety of foods, some of which can be provided for them in a backyard setting.  A word of caution, however:  Wild turkeys can be aggressive, and if they feel threatened by domestic pets, may attack them.  This can be more serious than it sounds, because turkeys have spurs on their legs which can seriously harm another animal.  They are especially aggressive during the mating season.

Wild Turkeys Near Mandan Park (photo by SCB)

If you would like to attract wild turkeys into your yard, here are a few tips that may make it easier to accomplish this.

Food
In the wild, turkeys eats a wide selection of plants, insects, and small animals, but two of the foods they will come into a backyard for are corn and birdseed.  Since I own a very large dog, they tend to avoid my yard, but several of my neighbors with bird feeders have awakened early in the morning and found wild turkeys strutting around their back yards.  Since they didn't lure the birds in intentionally, they were less than pleased, but still impressed by the birds' sheer size and attitude.

Habitat
One thing I have noticed myself with wild turkeys is that they seem to have some difficulty navigating chain link fences, especially if they get caught between them (hawks have this same difficulty).  Most of the turkeys I have seen in people's yards are in yards where there are no fences, just wide expanses of open lawn.  In the right setting, I have seen multiple turkeys in one location.

Wild Turkey in Backyard (photo by SCB)

Timing
A good time to see wild turkeys is early in the morning, when they tend to be actively out and about.  I have seen them at other times during the day, as well, but this time seems to be a particular favorite for them. Dusk is another time when they are fairly active.  Another good time to see them is after a rainstorm.


Do you have tips for attracting wild turkeys? If so, please leave a comment!