Wild Turkey

Many southern-Ontario dwellers have seen a wild turkey foraging for food at the side of the road. Wild turkeys are common throughout Ontario and Quebec, not to mention the United States. There are even wild turkeys in Florida, called the Osceola wild turkey. Wild turkeys like to eat in the early morning and late afternoon, and are omnivorous. They are surprisingly agile fliers, despite their size and weight, although they don't like to fly for more than 400 metres at a time. Baby wild turkeys are called poults, and their eggs take about 28 days to hatch. The nest is usually in a shallow depression, shrouded by vegetation. The poults are very cute! The wild turkey was a significant food source to the Native Americans. Turkeys are also a traditional Thanksgiving meal, and, sadly wild turkeys were hunted down so much that they almost disappeared from Canada! Thankfully, in the 20th century, game officials helped to save the wild turkey. It is estimated that about 7 million wild turkeys live throughout Canada and the U.S. today!