 Wild Turkey
BNL has been working with New York State Department of
Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) to observe the wild turkey
(Meleagris gallopavo) population distribution on-site.
This species was introduced in areas adjacent to the
Laboratory in 1996. Since then, significant migration of
wild turkeys on to the BNL site has occurred. Monitoring this
population on-site helps assess the success of this
introduction. Population siting reports are being provided to
NYSDEC. The wild turkey live in oak woodlands and pine-oak
forests at BNL.
Description
 The male is 48"(122cm); and the female 36"(91cm). They have brown
with iridescent bronze sheen and barred with black; head and
neck naked, with bluish and reddish wattles; trail fan-shaped,
with chestnut or buff tail tips. The male has spurs and a
long "beard" on its breast. The female is smaller, lacks
spurs, and usually lacks a "beard". Females lay 8-15
buff-colored
eggs, spotted with brown, in a shallow depression lined with
grass and leaves.
For more information about the turkey go to
Wild Turkey in New York (PDF)
The Environmental Protection Division
keeps track of the wild turkey population at BNL.
Should you spot the turkeys, please provide information about
the group you see (number of adults and young seen, sex ratio
and locality) to Dr. Green:
tgreen@bnl.gov
References:
1. 1994; National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Birds (Eastern Region)
The wild turkey begins displaying as seen in the above
photos in the early spring. Mating occurs in April and May.
Turkeys are ground nesters and place nests in areas with good vegetative
cover, at the base of trees, or where camouflage is good. The hens lay between
one and two dozen eggs, which hatch between mid-June to early-July.
The hens stay with the polts through the fall when they
begin to group up into flocks for the winter months. At BNL
the largest winter flock seen has been over 100 birds. In most
cases flocks are between 10 and 30 birds but larger flocks can
be occur.
Last Modified: November 14, 2008
Please forward all questions about this site to:
Karen Ratel
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