With many people thinking about turkey this time of year, we thought we would provide some interesting facts about wild turkeys for you to share during your holiday gatherings!
- Turkeys are not native to California but were introduced by European settlers. Most turkeys we eat are raised on farms but there are millions of turkeys that roam wild. The population of wild turkeys in California is estimated today to be roughly a quarter million birds!
- Turkeys are polygamous, meaning they will have more than one mate. They breed in the spring and as a result, males are more aggressive during that time. We've heard stories of people being chased by male turkeys while crossing the street!
- Female turkeys only lay 1 egg a day but will lay a total of 9 to 13 eggs over 2 weeks. Newly hatched turkeys will leave the nest within 12 to 24 hours.
- They are omnivores, eating plant material like grasses and fruit as well as insects, rodents, and lizards.
- Although tempting, you should not feed wild turkeys. Wild animals should be left to forage and hunt for themselves and not rely on humans for food. Did you know that it is in fact illegal to feed wildlife in California?
- Thinking of stalking your neighborhood flock to snag a bird for your holiday feast? Turkeys are considered game birds so there is a hunting season and you will need a license by the California Fish and Wildlife Department.
Learn more about wild turkeys and how to manage them in your neighborhood or property, by visiting the UC IPM publication Pest Notes: Wild Turkeys.
Gobble gobble!
/span>- Author: Pamela Kan-Rice
While most Americans choose their Thanksgiving turkeys from the meat department at the local grocery store, Brylee Aubin and Yaxeli Saiz-Tapia can tell you the life histories of their holiday birds. The Sonoma County teenagers raise heritage turkeys together as part of a 4-H youth development project and sell them for Thanksgiving. For the last two years, Yaxeli's older brother Uli has joined the project and, between the three of them, they raised 47 turkeys this year.
The Heritage Turkey Project in Sonoma County has about 15 members of the UC Cooperative Extension's 4-H youth development program and the National FFA Organization growing more than 200 heritage turkeys this year, according to Catherine Thode, who has been leading the project for 15 years.
“Our project leaders are active breeders of heritage turkeys and some of our 4-H and FFA youth are now raising breeding pairs and hatching their own birds,” Thode said. “Each project member raises their small flock of birds on their own property and shoulders the responsibility of providing their feed and care.”
The Heritage Turkey Project promotes the preservation of heritage turkey breeds, sustainable farming and responsible animal husbandry. While raising the animals, the youths learn life skills and earn money for their work.
“The money I raise from raising and selling turkeys goes towards my college fund and to more 4-H projects like market goats or sheep,” said 15-year-old Brylee, who sells her turkeys for $9.50 per pound.
Three years ago, Brylee's neighbor, Yaxeli joined her in the heritage turkey project.
“I have learned how to care for animals, the importance of raising organic and the costs involved,” said Yaxeli, 14. “I have gained a firm understanding of how my birds are raised and processed versus corporate methods. Having the opportunity to participate in this project has strengthened my value for the importance of where my food comes from.”
Consumers benefit by getting turkeys that are farmed organically, fed high-quality grains, and never frozen, said Brylee.
“There are so many benefits to raising these beautiful birds,” said Uli Saiz-Tapia, 17. “First, you learn the cost of running a business, how to reinvest for the next year, the different stages of turkey growth and how to manage issues that arise such as the turkeys fighting, how they react to fluctuating temperatures, how to keep them safe and nourished properly. Learning about the process of getting our turkeys ready to be purchased has really benefitted my understanding of anatomy, the amount of work it takes in preparing them and the importance of not wasting food.”
The group sold out of turkeys in early November.
“Back in March, we really wondered if we should even do the project this year, not knowing what was going to happen with COVID restrictions and the impact on the economy,” Thode said. “We ended up with more project members than we've ever had, and over 200 turkeys to be sold for the Thanksgiving market.”
The 4-H members started the season with more turkeys, but lost some birds to predators. Wildfires seemed to drive more predators to the Sonoma County farms this year, she said.
“Things are fast and furious right now,” Thode said a week before Thanksgiving as the group prepared their turkeys for processing and distribution to people who placed orders. “I'm about to enter the busiest seven days of our year. It will take all weekend to have the birds processed, weighed, labeled. Then, we hunker down to sort and assign turkeys to our customer list.”
While selling turkeys, the group encourages customers to meet the farmers and to visit https://livestockconservancy.org/index.php/heritage/internal/conservation-priority-list#Turkeys to look up the history and breed characteristics of the turkey they are purchasing. In past years, some customers have taken photos of themselves with the person who raised their bird.
“We not only have a master list of customers and their desired sizes, but we create a spreadsheet for every project member with a list of the turkeys they've grown that year,” Thode said. “Each turkey is identified in the spring or early summer with a small metal wing band that lists the grower and an individual number for that turkey. When the turkey is sold, the buyer knows which project number grew their turkey, and the variety of turkey that they are purchasing. We think it's important that our customers know this. In fact, when they come to pick up their turkey, they write their check to the actual grower of their turkey.”
To learn more about the Heritage Turkey Project, visit https://heritageturkeyproject.webs.com.
- Editor: Lisa MacCubbin
If you lived in Marin prior to 1988 you remember a time when the only turkeys you saw were at the grocery store. This is because, in 1988, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife introduced wild turkeys onto Loma Alta hill on the west side of Lucas Valley. The idea was to provide hunting opportunities on private lands, and the turkeys have thrived. If you are a wild turkey, Marin is a perfect place to live and raise a family.
Wild turkeys are not native to Marin County
Turkeys make a mess in the garden
Perhaps the biggest complaint Bay Area gardeners have about wild turkey visitors is the mess they leave behind. Wild turkeys are omnivores and opportunistic feeders. They scratch around in the soil and among plants looking for food: insects, larvae, worms, seeds, soft fruits, nuts, plant matter, and sometimes small reptiles and amphibians.
They create a mess while they're at it, and they also leave their droppings behind. Turkeys are the largest game birds in North America, and their droppings are proportional to their size. Turkeys sometimes roam in gangs (yes. this is the proper name for a ”flock” of turkeys) numbering between six and 30, so it can get pretty messy.
Wild turkeys and their impact on the environment
The California State Department of Parks and Recreation has identified three potential negative environmental impacts caused by wild turkeys: their occasional consumption of endangered reptiles and amphibians, their competition with ground-dwelling birds for resources, and their contribution to the spread of sudden oak death. However, according to the California Department of Fish and Game, these effects are subtle and too difficult to detect in the short-term. To date, none of these concerns have been the subject of any comprehensive studies.
How to discourage wild turkeys from taking over your garden
If you don't want turkeys in your garden, don't feed them. The novelty of the birds sometimes inspires direct handouts, but more often they find spilled birdseed or unsecured garbage to eat.
The other thing you want to avoid is letting wild turkeys roost on your property. They usually roost in trees, but they can often be spotted on a roof or deck. The good news is they are relatively easy to move along. The Humane Society reports that making loud noises or giving them a squirt with a hose usually will do the trick.
Wild turkeys do have a pecking order of dominance and may view fearful behavior in people and pets as a sign that they are subservient. If a wild turkey or gang of turkeys have moved into your neighborhood or garden, you want to quickly establish your dominance by hazing the turkeys. Along with loud noises or hose squirts, the Humane Society also suggests popping open an umbrella, installing a motion-activated sprinkler, throwing tennis balls, or waving your arms while blowing a whistle.
During the mating season (February to May) male “tom” turkeys have been known to wander into neighborhoods looking for a mate. They may respond aggressively to their own reflection in windows and on shiny cars. Just haze the turkey away and think about covering the reflective surface. Although wild turkeys are large and can look intimidating, they are timid and scare easily.
Wild turkey behavior and antics
Instead of scaring turkeys away, you might choose to just relax, sit back, observe, and enjoy the ongoing antics of wild turkeys.
Male turkey (tom)
Male turkeys sometimes drag their wings on the ground while walking. If you close your eyes and listen, it sounds like a lady's long dress dragging across a dance floor.
Head and neck color changes
In addition to showing off their feathers, a male turkey's head and neck can go from gray and blue when calm, to bright red when angry or during courtship. Toms also have peculiar fleshy growths on the neck, under the chin and above the beak. The one in the throat area is termed caruncle. Wattles are located under the chin and the snood lies flapping on the beak. These growths are also normally gray or blue and can become bright red to display anger or to attract females.
Female turkeys (hens)
Gobble, cluck, and purr
Male turkeys can be a little noisy during the spring; they gobble, making a loud, rapid, gurgling sound to announce their presence to females.
Turkeys also make a clucking sound-- one or more short staccato notes to get attention. Sometimes a cluck is followed by a purr, a rolling sound indicating contentment.
Predators
While a hen can lay 10-12 eggs in the spring, there are lots of predators looking for an egg, tender poult, or adult turkey for dinner. Hens will double up with another hen for added supervision and protection of their poults. Wild turkey eggs, poults, and adult turkeys are threatened by numerous species, including snakes, skunks, opossums, raccoons, rodents, dogs, foxes, coyotes, bobcats, mountain lions, hawks, owls, crows, ravens, and eagles.
Original article by James Campbell for the Marin IJ
Edited for the Leaflet by Lisa MacCubbin