Wild Turkeys

It’s November, the season when many are gearing up for the Thanksgiving Holiday, to reflect, to be thankful and to celebrate and share a delicious meal.

Traditionally, eating turkey has been a staple for the Thanksgiving feast. Although most of us eat turkey found in our grocery stores, wild turkey is considered a delicacy by many hunters and can be very delicious when prepared properly, offering a richer, more intense flavor than domestic turkey due to its active lifestyle and varied diet. Wild turkey meat is leaner and firmer than domestic varieties, requiring care in cooking to avoid dryness.

Observing turkeys in the wild is interesting. However, providing food in residential areas to attract wild turkeys can become a public safety threat. Wild turkeys are opportunistic foragers and can eat a wide variety of leaves, grass, seeds, berries, insects, worms, snails, frogs, and small reptiles. This allows them to thrive in a variety of natural habitats. They also can inhabit residential areas, particularly where they are being fed. Wild turkeys are supposed to cover large land areas while foraging throughout the day. Providing food repeatedly causes them to congregate, which results in a build-up of droppings and unnaturally increases contact between flocks which can encourage disease.

Additionally, feeding wild turkeys in residential areas is discouraged because it causes them to lose their natural fear of people and can cause them to act aggressively. Wild turkeys can become a public safety concern due to their

• Powerful wings

• Large size (males can weigh over 20 pounds and stand 3 1/2 feet tall)

• Sharp spurs on males’ legs

• Tendency to occur in large flocks

Another problem with feeding wild turkeys in residential areas is that they remain in the area, which can eventually lead to pecking and scratching cars, tearing up flower beds and depositing turkey droppings on drive-ways, sidewalks, yards and porches. Turkeys have been known to begin roosting on roofs and pool screens, which can result in considerable property damage. The best way to prevent these issues is simply - Don’t feed them

Wild Turkeys of South Florida:

 This subspecies, known as the Osceola, is found exclusively on the Florida peninsula, making it a highly sought-after prize for hunters. While the more common Eastern wild turkey is also found in Florida, its range overlaps primarily with the Osceola in the north-central part of the state.

•  Appearance: The Osceola is smaller and darker than the Eastern wild turkey. Its feathers have a darker, more iridescent sheen with green and purple reflections, rather than the Eastern's bronze tones. The white barring on its wing feathers is narrower and often broken, giving the wing a predominantly black appearance.

•  Size: Adult male Osceolas weigh approximately 15 to 20 pounds, while females weigh 8 to 12 pounds, making them slightly lighter than the Eastern subspecies.

•  Distinctive features: Male turkeys, or toms, have a dark beard of feathers on their chest, a red wattle on their neck, and fleshy caruncles on their heads. They also possess long, sharp spurs on their legs.

•  Vocalizations: Osceolas are known to have a strong gobble, though it may not carry as far as an Eastern turkey's call due to the higher humidity and denser vegetation in Florida

• Habitat: Osceola turkeys thrive in Florida's diverse landscapes, including pine flatwoods, prairies, hardwood hammocks, and cypress swamps. They are highly adaptable and are often found along forest edges and in openings. A key characteristic of their habitat is the availability of mature trees, like live oaks, pines, and cypress, where they can roost safely from predators at night.

•  Diet: As omnivores, Osceola turkeys forage on the ground, scratching for a wide variety of foods. Their diet includes acorns, seeds, berries, leaves, insects, and small vertebrates like snakes.