Vermont · Year-round resident

Wild Turkeys in Vermont

When wild turkeys are present in Vermont, when they nest, which native Vermont plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 3b–5b yard.

Turkeys and grouse (Phasianidae)Wild TurkeyMeleagris gallopavo

Status in Vermont: Year-round resident
Nesting window: April–June
Broods: 1 per season
Hardiness zones: USDA 3b–5b

When to expect wild turkeys in Vermont

Wild Turkeys live in Vermont all year. Long, snowy winters. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them.

Humid continental, with the Green Mountains and the Champlain Valley.

Nesting in Vermont

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

Short, mild summers.

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

Native Vermont plants that attract wild turkeys

Of the regional native plants we track for Vermont, 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.

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.

Paper birch

Betula papyrifera · Tree

Catkin seed feeds redpolls and siskins all winter.

Feeding wild turkeys through the Vermont year

Top foods: Cracked corn, Whole corn (where legal).
In Vermont's winter: Long, snowy winters.

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

Frequently asked

Are wild turkeys in Vermont year-round?

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

When do wild turkeys nest in Vermont?

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

What native plants attract wild turkeys in Vermont?

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

Other backyard birds in Vermont

Northern Cardinal Eastern Bluebird Black-capped 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 Mourning Dove American Robin Dark-eyed Junco White-throated Sparrow Song Sparrow Chipping Sparrow Northern Flicker Pileated Woodpecker Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Red-breasted Nuthatch Brown Creeper Common Grackle Red-winged Blackbird Baltimore Oriole Rose-breasted Grosbeak Evening Grosbeak Pine Siskin Common Redpoll Indigo Bunting Eastern Towhee Gray Catbird 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 Canada Jay American Crow Common Raven Cooper's Hawk Sharp-shinned Hawk Red-tailed Hawk Barred Owl Great Horned Owl American Kestrel Wood Duck 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 Ovenbird Red-eyed Vireo Warbling 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 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 Common Redpoll Hoary Redpoll White-winged Crossbill Bohemian Waxwing Yellow-billed Cuckoo Bobolink 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.