Diet
What do wild turkeys eat?
Acorns, seeds, insects and green growth, scratched from the forest floor.
Turkeys and grouse (Phasianidae)Wild TurkeyMeleagris gallopavo
Spring and summer diet
- Grasshoppers, beetles, seeds and berries
Fall and winter diet
- Acorns, beechnuts and waste grain
Best feeder foods
- Cracked corn
- Whole corn (where legal)
Flocks visit rural feeding areas in winter; check local rules — feeding turkeys is restricted in some states.
Where wild turkeys need winter food
Regions where wild turkeys are present in the cold months:
AlabamaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareFloridaGeorgiaIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew BrunswickNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOntarioOregonPennsylvaniaQuebecRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyoming
Frequently asked
What do wild turkeys eat?
Acorns, seeds, insects and green growth, scratched from the forest floor.
What is the best food to feed wild turkeys?
Cracked corn, Whole corn (where legal).
What do wild turkeys eat in winter?
Acorns, beechnuts and waste grain.
Sources
- Wild Turkey — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Wild Turkey life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Wild Turkey — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
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.