Kentucky · Year-round resident

Wild Turkeys in Kentucky

When wild turkeys are present in Kentucky, when they nest, which native Kentucky plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 6a–7b yard.

Turkeys and grouse (Phasianidae)Wild TurkeyMeleagris gallopavo

Status in Kentucky: Year-round resident
Nesting window: March–June
Broods: 1 per season
Hardiness zones: USDA 6a–7b

When to expect wild turkeys in Kentucky

Wild Turkeys live in Kentucky all year. Moderate winters with periodic snow and ice. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them.

Humid subtropical, from the Appalachian plateau in the east to the Bluegrass and the Mississippi lowlands in the west.

Nesting in Kentucky

Across Kentucky, wild turkeys typically nest from March–June. Plan around that window: February for setup, June for clean-out.

Hot, humid summers.

Wild Turkeys don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as white oak, bur oak for nest sites.
Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after June.

Native Kentucky plants that attract wild turkeys

Of the regional native plants we track for Kentucky, these 8 provide food or cover wild turkeys use:

White oak

Quercus alba · Tree

Acorns plus hundreds of caterpillar species for nestling food.

Bur oak

Quercus macrocarpa · Tree

Drought-hardy prairie oak with large acorns and a heavy insect load.

Wild bergamot

Monarda fistulosa · Perennial

Tubular flowers for hummingbirds and seed heads for finches.

Purple coneflower

Echinacea purpurea · Perennial

Leave seed heads up through winter for goldfinches.

Black-eyed Susan

Rudbeckia hirta · Perennial

Prolific seed heads for finches and sparrows.

New England aster

Symphyotrichum novae-angliae · Perennial

Late nectar for insects and fall seed for sparrows.

Little bluestem

Schizachyrium scoparium · Perennial

Native bunchgrass; winter seed and ground cover for sparrows and juncos.

Tall goldenrod

Solidago altissima · Perennial

Insect-rich in fall and seed in winter.

Feeding wild turkeys through the Kentucky year

Top foods: Cracked corn, Whole corn (where legal).
In Kentucky's winter: Moderate winters with periodic snow and ice.

Full diet breakdown for wild turkeys · Best feeder for wild turkeys

Frequently asked

Are wild turkeys in Kentucky year-round?

Yes. Wild Turkeys are year-round residents in Kentucky.

When do wild turkeys nest in Kentucky?

Nesting in Kentucky typically runs March–June, with 1 per season. Clutches are 4–17 eggs, incubated for 25–31 days.

What native plants attract wild turkeys in Kentucky?

White oak, Bur oak, Wild bergamot, Purple coneflower, Black-eyed Susan, New England aster, Little bluestem, Tall goldenrod are native plants in Kentucky that provide food or cover for wild turkeys.

Other backyard birds in Kentucky

Northern Cardinal Eastern Bluebird Carolina Chickadee Purple Martin Downy Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker American Goldfinch Tufted Titmouse White-breasted Nuthatch Blue Jay House Finch Purple Finch Ruby-throated Hummingbird Carolina Wren Mourning Dove American Robin Dark-eyed Junco White-throated Sparrow Song Sparrow Chipping Sparrow Red-bellied Woodpecker Northern Flicker Pileated Woodpecker Red-headed Woodpecker Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Red-breasted Nuthatch Brown Creeper Common Grackle Red-winged Blackbird Baltimore Oriole Orchard Oriole Rose-breasted Grosbeak Pine Siskin Indigo Bunting Eastern Towhee Gray Catbird Northern Mockingbird Brown Thrasher Cedar Waxwing Tree Swallow Barn Swallow Eastern Phoebe Chimney Swift Yellow-rumped Warbler Pine Warbler Eastern Screech-Owl Wood Thrush Great Crested Flycatcher Eastern Kingbird American Tree Sparrow House Sparrow European Starling White-crowned Sparrow Fox Sparrow Eurasian Collared-Dove American Crow Common Raven Cooper's Hawk Sharp-shinned Hawk Red-tailed Hawk Barred Owl Great Horned Owl American Kestrel Wood Duck Northern Bobwhite Mallard Great Blue Heron Belted Kingfisher Scarlet Tanager Eastern Meadowlark Brown-headed Cowbird Ruby-crowned Kinglet Golden-crowned Kinglet Hermit Thrush Winter Wren Red Crossbill Field Sparrow Gray Catbird Lark Sparrow Hooded Merganser Yellow Warbler Common Yellowthroat American Redstart Black-and-white Warbler Yellow-throated Warbler Prothonotary Warbler Ovenbird Yellow-breasted Chat Orange-crowned Warbler Palm Warbler Red-eyed Vireo Warbling Vireo White-eyed Vireo Eastern Wood-Pewee Cliff Swallow Northern Rough-winged Swallow Bank Swallow Common Nighthawk Eastern Whip-poor-will Canada Goose American Coot Killdeer Spotted Sandpiper American Woodcock Green Heron Great Egret Black-crowned Night Heron Turkey Vulture Black Vulture Osprey Bald Eagle Red-shouldered Hawk Merlin Peregrine Falcon Northern Saw-whet Owl Barn Owl Savannah Sparrow Swamp Sparrow Vesper Sparrow Horned Lark Blue Grosbeak White-winged Crossbill Yellow-billed Cuckoo Brewer's Blackbird Rusty Blackbird Rock Pigeon

Sources

Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.