Species · BBS 2025 Release · 1966–2024

Wild Turkey

Phasianidae Game birdsMeleagris gallopavo

Wild Turkey has surged: up 25× on the route-weighted index since 1968.

25×Since 1968

2,609Routes

58Years Surveyed

About the Wild Turkey

A large, ground-dwelling game bird of woodlands and clearings, the Wild Turkey has rebounded dramatically across North America after near-extirpation a century ago.

Size: 39.5–49 in long, 11–24.3 lb (100–125 cm, 5–11 kg)
Habitat: Fields, brushland, prairie and the forest floor, where it forages and nests on the ground.
Diet: Acorns, seeds, fruit and insects foraged on the forest floor.
Range: Recorded on 2,609 Breeding Bird Survey routes across 48 states, most concentrated in the Appalachian Mountains.
Family: Phasianidae · Game birds
Conservation: Least Concern

Notable Wild Turkey Trends

No notable trend signals for Wild Turkey. See the full index history below.

Wild Turkey Population Forecast

If the recent trend holds, Wild Turkey is projected to rise about 21% by 2029 — from 1.0 in 2024 to a central estimate of 1.3 (95% range 0.98–1.5). A 5-year backtest shows a typical error of ±12.8%, with 100% of held-out values landing inside the 95% band.

+21%Change by 2029

1.3Projected 2029 index

0.98–1.595% range

±12.8%Backtest error

Projection of the recent trend (dashed) with 80/95% bands — a projection, not a prediction. Habitat, climate, and land use are not modeled.

Year	Projected index	95% low	95% high
2025	1.2	0.89	1.4
2026	1.2	0.92	1.4
2027	1.2	0.94	1.5
2028	1.2	0.96	1.5
2029	1.3	0.98	1.5

Where the Wild Turkey Is Detected

BBS routes recording Wild Turkey, sized by most recent count.

Wild Turkey Population Trend by State

Wild Turkey population trend by state.

Alabama	+709%	1969	87
Arizona	+171%	1971	20
Arkansas	+21%	1975	40
California	37×	1973	97
Colorado	+779%	1990	55
Connecticut	+832%	1986	17
Delaware	11×	1993	11
Florida	+689%	1970	84
Georgia	+295%	1981	87
Idaho	+209%	1995	15
Illinois	25×	1987	91
Indiana	30×	1986	51
Iowa	13×	1979	32
Kansas	26×	1977	57
Kentucky	+908%	1990	47
Louisiana	-36%	1977	38
Maine	29×	1999	42
Maryland	15×	1978	55
Massachusetts	34×	1979	28
Michigan	19×	1970	88
Minnesota	+726%	1986	66
Mississippi	+193%	1971	49
Missouri	+599%	1975	82
Montana	+135%	1985	45
Nebraska	45×	1972	63
Nevada	insufficient data	n/a	2
New Hampshire	41×	1993	24
New Jersey	13×	1986	32
New Mexico	+291%	1989	33
New York	27×	1969	111
North Carolina	21×	1971	89
North Dakota	+476%	1983	40
Ohio	+824%	1983	62
Oklahoma	+811%	1970	59
Oregon	26×	1993	46
Pennsylvania	11×	1968	115
Rhode Island	insufficient data	n/a	3
South Carolina	+756%	1983	40
South Dakota	15×	1978	50
Tennessee	+382%	1983	48
Texas	+127%	1969	145
Utah	+43%	1988	31
Vermont	21×	1978	25
Virginia	11×	1970	78
Washington	13×	1996	37
West Virginia	+436%	1981	56
Wisconsin	228×	1987	95
Wyoming	-44%	1977	41

Wild Turkey Population Trend by Region

Bird Conservation Regions are the ecological unit for trends.

Wild Turkey population trend by Bird Conservation Region.

Northern Pacific Rainforest	23×	1986	49
Great Basin	18×	1996	43
Northern Rockies	+440%	1987	69
Prairie Potholes	34×	1979	78
Boreal Hardwood Transition	22×	1970	95
Lower Great Lakes / St. Lawrence Plain	16×	1969	75
Atlantic Northern Forest	83×	1975	112
Sierra Nevada	+266%	1997	13
Southern Rockies / Colorado Plateau	+196%	1972	84
Badlands and Prairies	+487%	1976	100
Shortgrass Prairie	+251%	1975	52
Central Mixed Grass Prairie	12×	1969	113
Edwards Plateau	+32%	1970	18
Oaks and Prairies	+670%	1969	56
Eastern Tallgrass Prairie	35×	1974	224
Prairie Hardwood Transition	157×	1972	142
Central Hardwoods	+1000%	1977	149
West Gulf Coastal Plain / Ouachitas	+132%	1976	62
Mississippi Alluvial Valley	+69%	1977	30
Southeastern Coastal Plain	+705%	1969	274
Appalachian Mountains	27×	1968	342
Piedmont	15×	1971	130
New England / Mid-Atlantic Coast	94×	1982	119
Peninsular Florida	+803%	1971	50
Coastal California	35×	1973	56
Sierra Madre Occidental	+54%	1971	20
Chihuahuan Desert	-9%	1973	19
Tamaulipan Brushlands	+68%	1969	23
Gulf Coastal Prairie	-44%	1996	10

Wild Turkey Conservation Status

Least Concern

The IUCN Red List rates this species as Least Concern. Our route-weighted index shows it up about 2384% since 1968.

Source: USGS North American Breeding Bird Survey, retrieved 2026-05-22. Trend is a route-weighted relative-abundance index, not an absolute population.