WHAT KIND OF A NEST DOES THE WILD TURKEY MAKE?
Wild turkeys are ground-nesting birds, like ruffed grouse and bobwhite quail. Basically, the hen merely scrapes a shallow depression in the soil or ground litter and lays her eggs there. This depression is probably formed inadvertently in the act of squatting and egg-laying rather than as a deliberate act. There may be some twigs, leaves, or feathers in the nest, but these too occur by accident. Nesting habitat, rather than the actual nest itself, is important to nesting success. Nesting and brood habitat are among the most important habitat features of the wild turkey’s range.
Wild turkeys are ground-nesting birds, like ruffed grouse and bobwhite quail. Basically, the hen merely scrapes a shallow depression in the soil or ground litter and lays her eggs there. This depression is probably formed inadvertently in the act of squatting and egg-laying rather than as a deliberate act. There may be some twigs, leaves, or feathers in the nest, but these too occur by accident. Nesting habitat, rather than the actual nest itself, is important to nesting success. Nesting and brood habitat are among the most important habitat features of the wild turkey’s range.
