Winter Roost Site Characteristics of Eastern Wild Turkeys

Abstract

Nine winter roost sites used by Meleagris gallopavo silvestris in Rhode Island were compared to 9 random plots. Roost sites were closer to open water than random plots (mean 39.8±19.6 vs 280.9±114.2m). White pine Pinus strobus and oaks Quercus spp., comprised 43.7 and 24.2%, respectively, of trees within roost sites and 24.3 and 46.7%, respectively, of trees on control plots. Mean diameter at breast height (dbh) of roost trees was larger than trees on control plots (mean 48.4±14.8 vs 20.2±5.8cm). Of 25 roost trees, 23 were white pines and 2 were eastern hemlock Tsuga canadensis. Stands with white pines ↔48cm dbh within 39.8m of water were used for winter roosting before other sites. -Authors