Wild Turkeys of Ontario

Reproduction: Female Eastern wild turkeys lay on average 10 to 12 eggs per brood. Wild turkey hatchlings are born fully developed and grow very rapidly. Within the first week, chicks can perform species specific behaviours , and by 14 weeks they’ve developed their distinctive male and female plumage.

Diet: Eat a variety of items such as nuts, fruits, seeds from grasses and sedges, insects, snails, frogs, salamanders and crayfish. During breeding season, prefer open pastures, agriculture fields, areas near streams and rivers, open forest areas and meadows. These areas provide the insects and seeds that form the majority of their diet, especially for growing chicks. During non-breeding season, wild turkeys can be found in open, mature forests of mixed hardwood and softwood where they often like to roost.

Species Information: Range of wild turkeys is limited to southern Ontario. At nighttime, they fly up into trees to roost .Wild turkeys can run at speeds of up to 19 km, per hour. At the start of spring, male wild turkeys get together in clearings to perform courtship displays. They puff up their feathers, lower their wings, fan out their tails and slowly strut, while making their famous gobble sounds. Males weigh between 8.1-13.6 kg, and females between 3.6-6.3 kg. Males are called “toms” or “gobblers”. Ontario is in the northernmost edge of the eastern wild turkey's range. Efforts to restore wild turkeys began in 1984 and were successful. Ontario experienced a rapid expansion of the number and range of the birds in the province.