This Turkey Tuesday is about the importance of water to wild turkeys. With the brutal heat of summer continuing in many areas, wild turkeys will seek sources of water within their home ranges to satisfy their water requirements. Wild turkeys need about 32 ounces of water daily and have adapted ways of obtaining water that allow them to live in some hot, difficult conditions. For instance, they extract water from succulent vegetation and insects, and they also will obtain water from dew that forms on vegetation overnight and into early morning. But at this time of year, it’s not uncommon to see turkeys drink directly from water sources such as lakes, ponds, and even puddles. In fact, drinking from water sources is something that’s part of a bird’s daily routine as you move into dry, arid areas of the species’ range, such as the southern Plains and northern Mexico. Turkeys have an interesting way of drinking that involves them scooping water into their beaks and then tilting their head slightly, so gravity carries the water down the esophagus. This efficient way of drinking allows turkeys to drink while remaining vigilant, and they can even drink while they walk through water. The take home is access to free water becomes particularly important to wild turkeys during extreme temperatures when just like us, they’re finding ways to beat the heat.
Pic by Monte Loomis
