Wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo)

The areas where turkeys find suitable habitat often overlap with human resources. Turkeys seek easy, readily available food sources. Some of these human-associated food sources may be agricultural fields, gardens, orchards, and haystacks (particularly hay with seeds in it, e.g. oat hay). Turkeys will typically avoid people, though they may act aggressive towards pets or people when they are fed by humans, habituated to humans, cornered, feel threatened, are sick, injured, or malnourished, defending young or food, or during the mating season. Turkeys are known to peck and damage windows, screens or other objects that cast a reflection. Large flocks may also deposit high volumes of droppings at roost or forage sites, which may coincidentally be a lawn or parking lot. Other behaviors such as vocalizations may pose a disturbance as well.

With most human-wildlife conflict, the best solution to reduce conflict is proactive prevention. You can do these preventative actions consistently throughout the year or on a seasonal basis when conflict risk is high. Allowing turkeys to become comfortable around people creates a challenge to landowners who experience property damage. People should be able to recognize turkey sign and be aware of their surroundings to help prevent conflict. Adults should be present with their pets and children when in the yard and keep them within arm’s reach or keep pets leashed when recreating through turkey habitat.

To prevent conflicts or mitigate existing problems

Changing and adapting human behavior for positive short and long-term gains

The number one thing you can do to mitigate conflict is change human practices and behavior. Landowners should invest and proactively plan to protect high value property and objects from turkeys and other wildlife. They should also be aware that the use of bird feeders may attract turkeys and other wildlife, which often leads to other conflict. Landowners should be prepared if they live in turkey habitat and seek to coexist with turkeys in these areas.

Do not feed turkeys

Not only can supplementing food cause serious health concerns for wildlife, but it can lead to unintended consequences that threaten you, your neighbors, and both human and wildlife communities. In this instance, habituation is the conditioning of a wild animal to humans via feeding or some other positive interaction. A habituated turkey may change the way it uses habitat, where and when it moves, and may not be afraid of people or pets. As wild animals begin to associate humans with safety from predation, environmental pressures, and food, there is an increased likelihood of an interaction with those species. Most of the time these interactions with wild animals are not negative experiences, but it is important to keep wildlife wild to reduce the risk of a negative interaction. 

When humans feed turkeys regularly, wild birds can come from miles away to feed as well. With the increased numbers of wild birds in one area, you could inadvertently contribute to disease transfer among turkeys. As turkeys are attracted to an area by supplemental feeding, their predators can then also be attracted to that area. If you are attracting turkeys by feeding them you can expect to also attract any of a turkeys’ predators, large and small.

Habitat modification

Turkeys can adapt to a variety of habitats across rural and urban areas. Modifying habitat to deter turkeys can be difficult. People can plant or preserve a variety of native turkey food on the perimeter of their property to provide short and long-term food supplies for turkeys. These food sources could act as a lure and alternative food source to attract turkeys away from high value crops or gardens. Landowners can also maintain their yards and gardens to be less attractive to turkeys by keeping their grass short, by minimizing the number of mast-producing shrubs and trees, and by removing any roost and cover habitat such as dense vegetation.

Exclusion

You can use weave nets attached to other structures, such as fencing, to keep turkeys out of sensitive or high-risk areas. Bird spikes or ledge exclusion products can deter turkeys from roosting in undesirable places. To protect stored hay, try tarping haystacks or closing off haybarns with fencing to keep birds out.

Changing and adapting turkey behavior for positive short and long-term gains

People should apply consistent and adaptive use of non-malicious hazing techniques to provoke a fear response from turkeys at identified roost sites, and when turkeys are present. You can accomplish this using water, spotlights, and other non-lethal devices. These methods may encourage the turkey to find a different roost location or to use other habitats. Turkeys are attracted to and curious about shiny and reflective objects. Cover these objects to prevent glare or reflections.

Behavior modification through fear-provoking tactics

Frightening devices

Do not physically harm turkeys when you use any frightening or hazing techniques.

You may be able to temporarily deter turkeys by using motion-sensing sprinklers, propane cannons, radios, and scarecrows. Adjust these items every few days, and for best results, use several techniques at a time.

Lasers: Some evidence suggests that turkeys will fly if a red laser is shined in their eye. Take precaution to follow safety guidelines when utilizing lasers.

Pyrotechnics: Fireworks or shotgun blasts (pointed in a safe direction) may also result in a fear response and keep turkeys at bay. You could also consider using a paintball gun. Check your local laws and ordinances before using these tactics.

Dogs: Well-controlled dogs directed by a handler may chase turkeys off private property. Dog owners should be aware of dog-related policies in areas commonly used by the public, such as residential areas and parks.

ATVs: Some landowners have success in patrolling their properties and hazing turkeys using ATVs.

Falconry: Emerging methods in hazing include collaboration with certified falconers. These practices are still being tested in urban and rural settings to gauge public satisfaction and behavior response results. Falconers must follow all applicable regulations.

Chemical repellents

You can protect valuable crops and ornamental plants such as cherries, grapes, and blueberries with products that contain methyl anthranilate. These ingredients can also help to disperse roosting turkeys.

Deterring aggressive turkeys

Wild turkeys maintain a “pecking order” and may try to intimidate humans as they would other turkeys. Make sure you don’t encourage turkeys to be around people.

Practice being bold and don’t hesitate to scare turkeys from private property. Some people find that making loud noise, swatting turkeys with a broom, or spraying them with a hose can deter aggressive birds. Bottom line – don’t let them intimidate you!  

Translocation and relocation

It is unlawful to capture and relocate wildlife without a permit issued by the WDFW Director except as otherwise provided by department rule. WDFW staff may trap turkeys for translocation or relocation where appropriate. Wildlife Control Operators (WCOs) are not permitted to trap, translocate or relocate wild turkeys under their certification.

Relocation of turkeys is not a preferred option, as it is likely they will return to the site of conflict. For a translocation to be successful the turkeys need to be relocated at least 15 miles away to an area that is not already at carrying capacity for turkeys and where the likelihood of causing conflict is minimal.

Lethal Control

If the above nonlethal control efforts are unsuccessful over time, and the damage situation persists, lethal control may be an option. Lethal control techniques include legal hunting during the turkey hunting season (hunting seasons and regulations found here) and other actions with a WDFW authorized permit. Turkeys are a game species in Washington. Legal hunts require a small game license and valid turkey transport tag. Hunters looking for public access to private lands may contact a Private Lands Biologist through a WDFW Regional Office, or find more information online to learn about the WDFW Private Lands Program.

A Damage Prevention Cooperative Agreement and recorded use of nonlethal methods are required to receive a Damage Prevention or other permit from WDFW. These permits are required to lethally remove wild turkeys outside of hunting seasons. Contact your local Wildlife Conflict Specialist through a WDFW Regional Office for additional information.

Because wild turkeys are a game bird, landowners should check with a local Wildlife Conflict Specialist to discuss which deterrent methods (non-lethal or lethal) to use on their property.

Public health concerns

Wild turkeys are susceptible to several infectious diseases that may be transmitted to domestic poultry including chickens, turkeys, and other fowl. Although turkeys have yet to be reported as a source of any outbreaks, potential risks should be identified.

Viruses: Avian pox, western equine encephalitis, mycoplasmosis (rare in wild populations, more common in domestic flocks).

Parasites: Histomoniasis (blackhead disease), coccidiosis (intestinal parasite), cestodes (tapeworms), nematodes (roundworm), and trematodes (flukes or flatworms), ticks, feather lice, mites.

Bacteria: Salmonella.