They are fascinating critters, with heads lacking feathers. They are huge. I cannot get close to them, as they fly away quite quickly. Yes, wild turkeys fly very well. You can see the wingspan of the one on the fence.
Their tracks are huge, as big as my boot. They can be 35" tall!I did some research on their reintroduction into Ontario, helped by our American friends.
For this reason, I am hopeful other species, like the Monarch Butterfly, will bounce back from low populations, to a more normal high.
Turkeys were extirpated from the region, until hunters began lobbying to reintroduce them. This was quite successful. My backyard can attest to this. Last year we seemed to have 4 or 5 separate rafters, which would visit the bird feeders, and take off again.
- within Ontario MNR has contributed to the growth of Ontario’s wild turkey population. In total, 4,400 birds.
- Wild turkey restoration efforts began in 1984, and by 1987 a total of 274 birds were transferred into Ontario from 6 U.S. states.
- Active trap and transfer were trapped and released at 275 sites in Ontario between 1984 and March 2004 (Malhiot, 2005).
- The spring hunting season was introduced by 1987, with a fall season in 2008.
Ontario stats:
- 24,000 in 1999
- 55,000 in 2004 with a 129% increase in population from an Eastern subspecies.
- 80,000 in 2010
- Estimated 100,000 eastern wild turkeys in Ontario 2013 (Canadian Geographic)
- 13,000 concentrated in the Ottawa area.
