Rhode Island DEM Asks Residents To Report Female Turkey Sightings

The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management is asking Rhode Islanders to keep and eye out for female turkeys in the wild. DEM biologists are collecting information about poults, or young female turkeys without broods of babies to compare the population and reproduction of wild this year versus last year.

"Results from this survey allow biologists to determine wild turkey productivity and reproductive success by estimating the average number of turkey poults per hen, assessing annual fluctuations in the turkey population, gauging reproductive success from year to year, and recruitment of new birds into the fall population," said Jenny Kilburn, the Principal Biologist for the Game Bird Program. "Rhode Island has a healthy population of turkeys and this data helps us ensure it stays this way."

Turkey sightings can be reported online, by calling (401) 789-0281 or by mail to Wild Turkey Project, 277 Great Neck Road, West Kingston, RI 02892.

Factors that impact the number of wild turkey broods, including heavy rain, cold weather, predators, road kills, domestic cats and more. The ground-nesting birds have the highest chance of brood survival in warm, dry weather.