Wild turkeys are big, ground-dwelling foragers that spend much of the day scratching through leaves and grass for food. They are omnivores, and their diet changes with the seasons.
What wild turkeys eat
Wild turkeys are opportunistic omnivores. A large part of their diet is acorns, nuts, seeds, berries, fruits and grasses, foraged on the ground as they scratch through leaf litter. They also eat insects, worms, snails and the occasional small reptile or amphibian, especially the fast-growing young poults, which need plenty of protein.
How their diet changes through the year
In autumn and winter, wild turkeys rely heavily on acorns and other nuts (mast), waste grain and seeds. In spring and summer they eat more green shoots, buds, insects and berries. This seasonal flexibility lets them thrive in woods, fields and increasingly in suburban areas.
Should you feed wild turkeys?
It is generally best not to feed wild turkeys. Feeding can make them lose their natural wariness, gather in large numbers, damage gardens and even become aggressive toward people. They also find plenty of natural food on their own, so if turkeys visit your yard, enjoy them from a distance rather than leaving out feed that draws them in.