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Wild Turkeys
Return of the Native
During a walk along the Sudbury Aqueduct at this time of the
year, you may encounter a group of wild turkeys. It will most
likely consist of a hen with her half-dozen offspring, hatched
earlier in the spring. They will be feeding on open ground,
searching under trees and shrubs for acorns and seeds. Insects
are included in their diet, and they may actually seem to be
working cooperatively in the capture of grasshoppers. They
will wander considerable distances in the open in search of
food, but at any moment, in the face of danger, they can fly
quickly to the security of branches high in nearby trees.
photo: M. G. Criscitiello Although a few turkeys breed here in Newton each year, in
most respects turkeys remain birds of the forest. They nest
on the ground in a wooded area under protection of dense
cover, and they roost and sleep in the upper branches of
large trees. In the past they existed in large numbers
throughout North America, serving as an important food
source for Native Americans and later settlers. By the end
of the 19th century most of the land in Massachusetts had
been cleared for farming and its forests harvested for
timber. As a consequence, wild turkeys disappeared entirely.
The last few were seen in 1850 on Mount Tom just west of
the Connecticut Valley. Other states in the East were
similarly affected. In 1855 the American Sportsman gave this
sad report on the status of turkeys: "In former times they
wandered in vast armies from one end of our country to
the other: but even in this day scarcely one is to be found
on the whole Northern Atlantic sea-coast."
Starting in the early 1900s, efforts were made to restore
turkeys in Massachusetts. At first, birds raised in game farms
were used, but those failed to adapt to living in the wild.
Although some states had achieved success in introducing
wild birds, turkeys were still entirely absent from
Massachusetts as recently as fifty years ago. In 1972 and
1973 the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife
(MassWildlife) received permission to trap 37 wild turkeys
in NewYork State. These were released in southern areas of
Berkshire County, and within a few years it was evident
that they had adapted successfully and were reproducing
well. By 1978 the turkey count had risen to over a
thousand birds, and many of their offspring were
introduced to other areas of the state.
Some of these birds have moved from deep forests to
suburban areas, and in the suburbs there have been
increasing encounters with people. Turkeys may wander
onto downtown sidewalks or interrupt automobile traffic.
Turkeys may venture into backyards where birdseed from
feeders is let fall to the ground. In some instances, particularly with males during breeding season, there has
been aggressive posturing toward humans during
encounters in gardens and yards.These birds will usually
retreat if you make loud noises or send spray with a water
hose. (MassWildlife's Web site offers advice about
prevention of such encounters, with emphasis on keeping
the ground under your feeders free of birdseed.)
Despite their occasional intrusions on city streets or in
people's gardens, it seems only fair to welcome back these
denizens of the forest and to share our parks and open
spaces with them.
M. G. Criscitiello
photo: Henry Finch |
