SEROLOGIC SURVEY OF WILD TURKEYS (MELEAGRIS GALLOPAVO) AND EVIDENCE OF EXPOSURE TO AVIAN ENCEPHALOMYELITIS VIRUS IN GEORGIA AND FLORIDA, USA

2015 ◽  
Vol 51 (2) ◽  
pp. 374-379 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dallas R. Ingram ◽  
Debra L. Miller ◽  
Charles A. Baldwin ◽  
Jenifer Turco ◽  
J. Mitchell Lockhart
2014 ◽  
Vol 41 (7) ◽  
pp. 545 ◽  
Author(s):  
Britney Niedzielski ◽  
Jeff Bowman

Context In an era of rapid environmental change, many species are shifting their distributions. As temperate-zone species’ expand their ranges north, different and potentially severe limiting factors may begin to affect their ability to survive and reproduce. The wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) is one example of a species undergoing rapid northern expansion. Aims An improved understanding of wild turkey demography at the species’ northern range periphery would facilitate effective management of this important game species. Therefore, we undertook a study to evaluate survival, causes of mortality, and behavioural strategies that may govern survival of female wild turkeys. Methods We captured 53 female wild turkeys, and used backpack transmitters to monitor their individual fates during 2012–13. Key results The annual survival estimate was 0.37 (95% CI: 0.25–0.55), with the lowest seasonal survival in the winter. The most frequent cause of mortality was mammalian predation, predominately by coyotes (Canis latrans). Age, proximity to supplemental food, and habitat use did not affect risk of mortality. Conclusions Northern wild turkeys in our study exhibited lower survival and suffered higher predation than did populations in the species’ historic range. Despite our findings, the wild turkey has expanded its range northwards and continues to exist in these peripheral areas. This may be due to high productivity or a source–sink dynamic, whereby high mortality is offset by immigration from the south. Implications The low survival and high predation of wild turkeys in the north must be considered when developing management strategies, particularly if interest exists in translocating turkeys farther north. Further research is needed to better understand whether northern turkey populations persist as sinks.


2015 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 447-472 ◽  
Author(s):  
Haemish I.A.S. Melville ◽  
Warren C. Conway ◽  
Michael L. Morrison ◽  
Christopher E. Comer ◽  
Jason B. Hardin

2016 ◽  
Vol 60 (3) ◽  
pp. 644-648 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanda M. MacDonald ◽  
Claire M. Jardine ◽  
G. Douglas Campbell ◽  
Nicole M. Nemeth

2019 ◽  
Vol 63 (3) ◽  
pp. 506
Author(s):  
Amanda M. MacDonald ◽  
John R. Barta ◽  
Michelle McKay ◽  
Stéphane Lair ◽  
Rozenn Le Net ◽  
...  

PLoS ONE ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. e60662 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ji Eun Kim ◽  
Brett R. Bunderson ◽  
Amanda Croasdell ◽  
Kent M. Reed ◽  
Roger A. Coulombe

2019 ◽  
Vol 55 (1) ◽  
pp. 54 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanda M. MacDonald ◽  
Claire M. Jardine ◽  
Evelin Rejman ◽  
John R. Barta ◽  
Jeff Bowman ◽  
...  

1991 ◽  
Vol 69 (8) ◽  
pp. 2128-2132 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott R. Decker ◽  
Peter J. Pekins ◽  
William W. Mautz

Red oak acorns (Quercus rubra), fruits of multiflora rose (Rosa multiflora), common juniper (Juniper communis), winterberry holly (Ilex verticillata), and barberry (Berberis spp.), fertile fronds of sensitive fern (Onoclea sensibilis), corn, and apples were fed as mixed rations to eight eastern wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris). Crude protein content of the foods ranged from 2 (apples) to 19% (sensitive fern). Red oak acorns and juniper berries were 14% fat; other foods were 1–7% fat. Apples were lowest in gross energy content (3.9 kcal/g dry matter (1 cal = 4.1868 J)), and sensitive fern was highest (5.5 kcal/g). Little variation existed in nutrient composition and energy content of the mixed diets. Metabolizable energy values of the diets ranged from 65 to 84% of gross energy intake and from 3.1 to 4.0 kcal/g. Solution of simultaneous equations based on the mixed-diet data yielded metabolizable energy values of individual foods; juniper had the highest metabolizable energy (4.6 kcal/g) and sensitive fern the lowest (2.1 kcal/g); other foods ranged from 3.3 to 4.1 kcal/g. Acorns, corn, and shrubs with persistent fruits (juniper, winterberry, barberry, and multiflora rose) were the most nutritious foods. Metabolizable energy intake of the mixed diets, excluding the juniper-dominated diet, approximated or exceeded the predicted daily energy expenditure of wild turkeys.


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