Help your state Department of Natural Resources monitor Wild Turkey populations by participating in this annual Wild Turkey brood survey! Wild Turkeys are a conservation success story, as they were nearly extirpated from the region a century ago due to colonization, habitat destruction, and unregulated hunting. Michigan’s Wild Turkey population, for example, was non-existent in the early 1900’s but after 50 years of collaborative conservation efforts, 200,000 Wild Turkeys now roam Michigan’s woodlands and suburbs! Despite this conservation success, some Wild Turkey populations have started to experience declines in different parts of the United States. The cause of these population declines is poorly understood.      

Help Wild Turkey researchers and state agencies from July 1 to August 31, by watching for Wild Turkey hens with young (a brood) or any other Turkeys and fill out a survey with up to seven short questions to help us better understand how Wild Turkey populations are doing across the region. The more participation and reports submitted, the better the data will be. 

Visit the Wild Turkey brood survey website for more information. The survey will only be available during the open period between July 1 and August 31. Please provide a valid email address when submitting observations in the survey. 

Turkey brood surveys are part of a multistate survey that is supported by the National Wild Turkey Federation, a partner of MI Birds and Audubon Great Lakes.

“Wild Turkey researchers and state agencies are looking at declines in productivity as well as declines in population estimates since the post-restoration era ended around 2000,” says Ryan Boyer, District Biologist for IN, MI, OH with National Wild Turkey Federation. “Several states have observed Wild Turkey population declines across multiple regions within the U.S. and across multiple subspecies. Using a standardized data collection process for data collected through these brood surveys, state agencies, biologists, managers, and researchers can assess changes in production across a much broader spatial scale that could help inform future management aimed at improving production for Wild Turkeys.”  

Use the links below to submit your Wild Turkey sightings today! For questions about the survey or Wild Turkeys in your state, please contact your local DNR office.  

Michigan: https://survey123.arcgis.com/share/ed1f2d71e7fd41afa58cdc13543e4a9a?utm_campaign=turkey+brood+survey  

Illinois: https://survey123.arcgis.com/share/dab52803edd24b61bfbc6eb8110db0bb?open=menu 

Ohio: https://survey123.arcgis.com/share/987f2ade0037405ea9ff1819aab040a8?portalUrl=https://gis.ohiodnr.gov/portal 

Indiana: https://www.in.gov/dnr/fish-and-wildlife/wildlife-resources/animals/wild-turkey/turkey-brood-reporting/ 

Wisconsin: https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/WildlifeHabitat/GameBirdBroodObservations 

MI Birds is a public outreach and education program presented by Audubon Great Lakes and Michigan Department of Natural Resources, which aims to deepen the number of Michiganders engaged in the understanding, care, and stewardship of public lands that are important for birds and people.