Pennsylvania · Year-round resident

Wild Turkeys in Pennsylvania

When wild turkeys are present in Pennsylvania, when they nest, which native Pennsylvania plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 5a–7b yard.

Turkeys and grouse (Phasianidae)Wild TurkeyMeleagris gallopavo

Status in Pennsylvania: Year-round resident
Nesting window: March–June
Broods: 1 per season
Hardiness zones: USDA 5a–7b

When to expect wild turkeys in Pennsylvania

Wild Turkeys live in Pennsylvania all year. Snow cover makes suet and heated water valuable; both chickadee species meet in a narrow hybrid zone across the south of the state. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them.

Humid continental; cold, snowy winters in the north and mountains, milder in the southeast.

Nesting in Pennsylvania

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

Warm summers; bluebirds typically raise two broods.

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 Pennsylvania plants that attract wild turkeys

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

White oak

Quercus alba · Tree

Acorns and insects.

New England aster

Symphyotrichum novae-angliae · Perennial

Fall seed.

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.

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 Pennsylvania year

Top foods: Cracked corn, Whole corn (where legal).
In Pennsylvania's winter: Snow cover makes suet and heated water valuable; both chickadee species meet in a narrow hybrid zone across the south of the state.

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

Frequently asked

Are wild turkeys in Pennsylvania year-round?

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

When do wild turkeys nest in Pennsylvania?

Nesting in Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania?

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

Other backyard birds in Pennsylvania

Northern Cardinal Eastern Bluebird Black-capped Chickadee Carolina Chickadee Purple Martin Downy Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker American Goldfinch Tufted Titmouse White-breasted Nuthatch House Wren 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 Evening Grosbeak Pine Siskin Common Redpoll 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 Fox Sparrow 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 Golden-crowned Kinglet Hermit Thrush Winter Wren Pine Grosbeak Red Crossbill Field Sparrow Gray Catbird Lark Sparrow Hooded Merganser Yellow Warbler Common Yellowthroat American Redstart Black-and-white Warbler Yellow-throated Warbler Ovenbird Yellow-breasted Chat Red-eyed Vireo Warbling Vireo White-eyed Vireo Eastern Wood-Pewee Least Flycatcher 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 Black-backed Woodpecker Savannah Sparrow Swamp Sparrow Vesper Sparrow Snow Bunting Horned Lark Blue Grosbeak Common Redpoll Hoary Redpoll White-winged Crossbill Bohemian Waxwing Yellow-billed Cuckoo Bobolink 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.