How long do wild turkeys live?
The oldest Wild Turkey on record lived to 13 years, a record from a wild bird. That is a ceiling, not an average: most wild wild turkeys live only a few years.
- Longest recorded lifespan
- 13 years
- Record from
- Wild bird
- Age at first breeding
- About 10 months
- Eggs per clutch
- 4–17 eggs
- Broods per year
- 1 per season
- Size
- 43.3–45.3 in, 88.2–381 oz
Record age versus typical age
Longevity records come from birds that were marked and later found again, usually through bird banding, or from birds kept in zoos. They show what a Wild Turkey can survive to, not what most do.
For small birds, the first year is the hardest. Many eggs and nestlings are lost to predators and weather, and young birds that leave the nest still have to learn to find food and avoid hawks and cats. A bird that survives its first winter has a much better chance of living several more years. That is why average lifespans in the wild are short even when the record is long.
Wild turkeys usually start breeding at about 10 months old. Each season a pair lays 4–17 eggs and raises 1 per season, with eggs taking 25–31 days to hatch.
More about wild turkeys
Frequently asked
How long do wild turkeys live?
The longest-lived Wild Turkey on record reached 13 years, recorded from a wild bird. Most wild wild turkeys live far shorter lives, because the majority of young birds don't survive their first year.
How old is a Wild Turkey when it first breeds?
Usually about 10 months old.
What is the oldest Wild Turkey ever recorded?
13 years, according to the AnAge longevity database.
How many young can a Wild Turkey raise in a year?
Pairs lay 4–17 eggs and raise 1 per season.
Source: AnAge, The Animal Ageing and Longevity Database (Human Ageing Genomic Resources), record quality "acceptable", sample size "medium". genomics.senescence.info