Though genetically the same species, wild turkeys are slimmer, taller, and have longer legs than their domesticated counterparts. Unlike their top-heavy relatives, who have been bred for the dinner table, wild turkeys can fly. When taking to the air, they stay close to the ground and travel only short distances, but their flight speed can reach up to 50 miles per hour.
The turkeys we see on Kiawah are Eastern Wild Turkeys— one of five subspecies found in the United States. These large fowl can grow up to four feet tall, with males( known as toms) weighing between 18 and 30 pounds and females( known as hens) between eight and 12 pounds. They reach these weights by devouring a wide range of food, including insects, green vegetation, nuts, and berries. On Kiawah and other coastal areas, fiddler crabs and frogs also comprise part of their diet.
Social birds, wild turkeys spend the fall and winter in flocks. As spring approaches, toms begin“ strutting” with their tails upright and fanned out behind them. This display signals the start of the breeding season that commences with fights for dominance among the toms. During this period, the flock gradually disperses. In late March, hens usually lay 10 to 12 eggs over a two-week period. After they lay the last egg, the hens stay on the nest almost continuously, leaving only for short periods to feed. Incubation takes 26 to 28 days.
The first half of May brings the peak time for hatching. All of the poults normally hatch within several hours of each other and feed themselves after only a few days. The recently hatched poults follow closely behind their mother as they search for food. At night, they sleep underneath her so she can protect them from chill, rain, and their many predators such as foxes, bobcats, crows, and owls. When they reach about 10 days of age, the poults can fly well enough to roost in
trees at night. By the time they are 18 days old they are strong flyers.
Though originally prevalent in South Carolina and throughout the United States, wild turkeys almost became extinct by the beginning of the twentieth century due to habitat loss and hunting. Live trapping and transplanting efforts by the State of South Carolina and the National Wild Turkey Federation( headquartered in Edgefield, South Carolina) have resulted in their once again being commonly found throughout the state and the nation— one of the great wildlife repopulation stories in history.
Speaking of history, after the bald eagle was chosen as the national symbol, Benjamin Franklin complained that the wild turkey would have been a better choice. The eagle is a thief, a coward and a“ bird of bad moral character,” he wrote in a letter to his daughter, while“ the turkey is in comparison a much more respectable bird.” But perhaps this time Franklin was wrong. Unlike the male bald eagle that remains monogamous for life and shares parenting chores, toms, unusually among birds, typically mate with two or more hens each season. They also shirk any role in raising their young. So which is the more respectable bird? Anthropomorphizing aside, almost everyone would agree that the eagle simply presents a more impressive image than the ungainly turkey.
Even if they do not grace our national seal, wild turkeys do take center stage as the South Carolina game bird. Due to their remarkable increase in numbers, the State permits turkey hunting for several weeks each spring. Here on Kiawah, where humans hunt only with binoculars and cameras, no seasonal restrictions apply. So any time of the year, get up early in the morning to walk through our beautiful Island and search for these fascinating fowl. NK
WINTER / SPRING 2017 • VOLUME 37
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