The empty, derelict barn we huddled in offered little protection from the cold, but did partially break the wind that blew blankets of snow diagonally across our obscured view. Nearly at the limit of that view stood a massive cottonwood and on its branches, large black shapes looking vaguely like headless turkeys clung and bounced like Christmas ornaments in an earthquake. There would be no turkey hunt today.
The following morning came, sunny but cold and with 16 inches of fresh powder blanketing the landscape. Our hopes weren’t very high but we’d already burned one day and only had three left on our Wyoming hunt so we endeavored to persevere. It was spring, but the conditions offered ample insight into just how wild turkeys adapt to winter, and sometimes even thrive in harsh winter conditions. Like we did on that hunt, turkeys make the most of what they have. Let’s take a closer look at what that means and how we can make it better for them.
Before we do however, I’ll offer a couple examples of just how hardy and resilient wild turkeys can be. The first is from a west Texas ranch where halfway up the ladder to my shooting house I could see over every living plant, which consisted mostly of cedar and a few scrawny mesquite bushes. I saw turkeys there and when I asked my guide where they roosted he said, “On the power poles.” It’s hardly ideal, and perhaps a bit perilous, but it sufficed.
The other example is from my home state of Maine where I was helping to trap and transfer some birds to the town of Bridgton, in the northwestern corner of one of Maine’s two southernmost counties. I remember the assistant regional biologist joking, “We’re going to sacrifice some turkeys in the name of science.” Based on all the existing data and everyone’s experience at that time there was little hope for their survival; but you don’t know unless you try. We tried and the birds exceeded everyone’s expectations. Nearly 30 years later, huntable populations exist over 200 miles farther north, in places where the moose outnumber the deer, and in some places the people.
It really comes down to habitat – especially winter habitat as that is often a limiting factor. Climate influences that and while empirical science has yet to catch up, the latest Zeitgeist at least suggests more favorable conditions in the future. Either way there’s not much we can do about climate, but there’s plenty we can do about turkey habitat. The birds occur where they exist and they thrive where it’s more favorable. It’s also important to bear in mind that habitat variables are often interrelated, a fact that land managers can often capitalize on.
The basic elements for turkey habitat are food, water, cover and suitable roost sites. In the latter case, anything that gets the birds up off the ground and away from terrestrial predators is beneficial. A prime example is bottomland hardwoods.
It is sometimes said in the south that turkeys like to roost where they can hear their droppings hit the water. That’s probably not a deliberate effort. Rather, it’s where the largest trees remain, because of either environmental or logistical limitations on cutting in wetlands. Either way, it’s a boom for the birds. When it comes to maintaining these stands as roosts, size does matter and older hardwood stands with bigger trees are always better, but not the best.
One thing turkeys must endure throughout much of their winter range is cold temperatures that sap heat and require birds to burn more energy, whether feeding or roosting. Wind sucks body heat even more rapidly so anything that breaks that wind can help, and evergreens do that better.
I’m a first generation turkey hunter, one of those now old sots who were around when the first modern New England turkey seasons were implemented. Unless we happened upon a transplant from the southeast or Midwest, there was nobody around to teach us how to hunt these recently restored birds. It was a steep learning curve, but I figured out pretty quickly where to find roosts, and after 40 years of chasing gobblers it still holds true: Look for the tallest white pines.
That might not seem so enlightening until you consider that most of central and northern New England is covered in mixed forest. That means turkeys have ample choice in terms of the size and species of trees in which to roost. They roost in oaks with their relatively lateral branches and even maples with their more diagonal branches when that’s all that’s available. They roost in spruce and fly up into fir, but if there are white pines, that’s where you’ll find them; but why?
First, they’re tall. That gets the birds up and away from terrestrial predators. Second, their growth pattern provides a network of sturdy branches that are relatively parallel to the ground, making ideal perches. Third and perhaps most important, they retain their dense foliage throughout the year. This provides protection from the elements and avian predators.
Unlike many other coniferous evergreens in the north, white pines grow on the south-facing slopes rather than the north. These areas receive more sunlight and are better protected from prevailing winter winds.
Bottom line: turkeys will do alright in bottomland hardwoods, but will do better if you can provide at least some mature softwoods, and better still if those are in protected areas. You can even do that on lands managed largely for timber harvest by maintaining uneven-aged rotations. Again, younger pines will certainly suffice, but if you can maintain some older stands you’ll have more turkeys.
Softwoods offer another advantage that becomes more important in areas of heavy snowfall. As noted above, turkeys now occur in areas where the average annual snowfall may exceed 72 inches. A single storm could bring a foot or two. Fluffy, white powder may be nice to look at but it makes getting around tougher for turkeys. They’ll plow paths if they have to but that burns lots of energy and makes them more vulnerable to predators. In addition to breaking the wind, older softwood stands intercept falling snow, effectively reducing snow depth underneath, improving both travel and predator avoidance. That’s why deer often favor the same areas. Unlike deer, which tend to be much more faithful to traditional wintering areas and will return to winter yards even after they’ve been cut, turkeys are less finicky. They’ll find the best roost trees eventually.
Sometimes it seems bad weather just follows me, and that appeared to be the case on a Nebraska hunt where my hunting party and I, and the turkeys we sought were subjected to cold, snow and high winds. But even the worst conditions provide an opportunity for learning. Setting out for an afternoon hunt my companion and I opted to seek the shelter of a deep draw where we nestled in against the bole of a big cottonwood.
All was quiet until an hour or so before sunset when we noticed movement on the bluff above. First one bird then another, and another walked to edge, paused momentarily then sailed down into the bottom. It soon seemed more like D-Day as single birds, groups and then flocks parachuted into the bottom, all marching toward the larger roost trees.
Throughout much of the western plains, the cottonwood is king. That’s largely because it’s the only tree large enough to represent a reliable roost. Farmers and ranchers understand the importance of cottonwoods as a wind break, to prevent erosion and provide shelter. Turkeys literally flock to them, particularly when aspect and topography protect them. If you’re going to plant and/or maintain them, seek the best locations.
Wild turkeys are fascinating birds that can survive and thrive through the harsh winter months. Their diet undergoes a dramatic shift as the seasons change from fall to winter. Understanding what sustains wild turkeys through the cold winter provides insight into their resilience.
Nuts Are the Staple of a Turkey’s Winter Diet
The largest part of a wild turkey’s diet during winter consists of nuts.Turkeys rely heavily on nuts like acorns, beechnuts and hickory nuts that fall to the forest floor in autumn. These nuts are high in fat and calories providing turkeys with the energy they need to make it through freezing temperatures and snowstorms.
Turkeys are vulnerable when heavy snow covers up their favorite feeding spots on the ground for extended periods of time. But during most winters, there are ample supplies of nuts accessible to the turkeys. Their powerful legs allow them to scratch through snow to uncover nourishment underneath.
Finding Creative Ways to Forage
When deep snow makes foraging challenging, wild turkeys become extra resourceful in finding food. They will eat buds off of trees and shrubs, including hemlock and pine needles. While not very appetizing to humans, these provide the birds with beneficial vitamins A and C.
Turkeys will also eat any berries they can reach on bushes or low hanging tree branches. Holly berries are a particular favorite as a sweet, high-energy food source. In especially harsh conditions, turkeys have been observed making spectacular rocket-like launches into trees to pick berries.
Supplementing with Other Foods
While nuts make up the bulk of their diet, turkeys will supplement with other foods depending on availability. They will eat any seeds, fruits or greens they can find Turkeys will consume waste grains left behind in harvested fields, along with undigested corn found in manure.
Insects, snails, salamanders and other small creatures also get gobbled up by turkeys when the opportunity arises. On warmer winter days, turkeys take advantage of insects that become active again after freezing temperatures.
Adapting as the Seasons Change
A wild turkey’s diet is a reflection of its adaptable and opportunistic nature. As seasons change from winter to spring, turkeys alter their diet again to take advantage of newly emerging food sources.
In late winter and early spring, they start consuming more fresh greens, herbs, grasses, berries, seeds and buds. Protein comes from snacking on worms, spiders, centipedes and other small invertebrates. By summer, juicy fruits, berries and fresh greens make up the biggest portion of their varied diet.
Unique Physiology Helps Digestion
Wild turkeys have a digestive system uniquely adapted to make the most of their nutritionally variable diet. Food is stored in their crop after being swallowed whole. It is then broken down through digestion in small portions.
After filling their crop, turkeys will fly up to roost in trees and rest for a few hours while food digests. This physiological process allows them to maximize energy extracted from foods like hard nuts and dried plant material.
Smart Foragers That Benefit the Ecosystem
Turkeys play an important role in dispersing seeds and nuts through their droppings as they move around in search of food. This propagation of various plant species contributes to new growth and replacing plants lost to weather events or other disturbances.
Young turkeys fill another crucial niche by feasting on insects like leafhoppers, worms, flies and beetles. By helping control pest populations, wild turkeys support the overall health of forests and fields.
Winter Foraging Reflects Turkey’s Resilience
The wild turkey’s varying winter diet provides remarkable insight into the adaptability that enables it to thrive year-round. By making the most of seasonally available foods, wild turkeys reveal their resilience in the face of winter’s harsh conditions. Their unique physiology allows them to gain sufficient nutrition from diverse food sources.
Understanding how wild turkeys forage sheds light on their role in maintaining balance across forest ecosystems. As resourceful omnivores, they are well equipped to make it through even the harshest winters.
Winter Cover for Wild Turkeys
Roost sites aren’t the only important type of winter habitat. Cover is important year round but especially in winter. As already alluded to, anything that breaks the wind and provides thermal protection is helpful. Here too, evergreens are better. Cedar may be a nuisance to ranchers and farmers, but patches provide protection so try to leave some when you can.
Shelterbelts are a very effective way to protect habitat and wildlife by providing shelter on the leeward side. The majority should be oriented against prevailing wind but different orientations offer options for variations. In uneven terrain, mid-slope is a better option as gullies and draws are generally more protected and steeper areas more exposed. To the extent possible, try to maximize height by choosing the right species, and length; and avoid gaps.
What Do Wild Turkeys Eat?
FAQ
What to feed wild turkeys in the winter?
Where do turkeys sleep in the winter?
What kind of shelter do turkeys need in winter?
Why do you not see turkeys in the winter?
What do wild turkeys eat in winter?
A Wild turkey’s winter diet consists largely of seasonal seeds, grains and vegetation. There are some winter berries, too, such as hawthorn, wild grape and blackthorn, which turkeys will seek out where available.
Do wild turkeys eat crops?
Certainly, wild turkeys consume crops. Wild turkeys are omnivorous animals that eat various foods, including seeds, grains, fruits, invertebrates, seeds, and green plant matter. Although soybeans are not a favorite meal, they may also consume them. Turkeys may sometimes harm crops in farms and gardens. Do wild turkeys eat insects?
What berries do turkeys eat in winter?
There are some winter berries, too, such as hawthorn, wild grape and blackthorn, which turkeys will seek out where available. Turkeys eat fewer insects and invertebrates in the winter, too, as insects tend to either die or hibernate when the temperature drops too low.
Do wild turkeys lose weight in winter?
A mature wild turkey may lose up to 40 percent of its body weight before spring. When it comes to winter survival, finding enough food is one of the chief concerns for a wild turkey, particularly in areas where deep snow is common and persists throughout the winter.