Recently, my son and I were driving in the front range outside of Monument Colorado when a flock of wild turkeys crossed the road. My son exclaimed exceedingly “turkeys dad!” So, what are wild turkeys? Rocky Mountains are home to two subspecies of wild turkey: the Merriam’s turkey and the Rio Grande turkey. The Merriam’s turkey is the more common of the two, and is found in the higher elevations of the mountains, while the Rio Grande turkey is found in the lower elevations.

Wild turkeys are large birds, with males averaging 20 pounds and females averaging 12 pounds. They have a dark brown body with a bronze-green iridescence, white barring on the wings, and a white to rusty-tipped rump and tail feathers. The head and neck are bare and are red to blue to gray in color.

Wild turkeys are omnivores and eat a variety of foods, including insects, nuts, seeds, berries, grasses, and leaves. They forage on the ground and are most active in the morning and evening.

During the spring, wild turkeys go through a mating ritual. The male, or tom, struts and gobbles to attract the female, or hen. The tom will also spread his tail and fan it out to show off his feathers. Once a hen is attracted, the tom will mount her and mate.

Wild turkeys typically lay 8-12 eggs in a nest on the ground. The eggs hatch after about 28 days, and the young turkeys, or poults, are able to fly within a few weeks.

Wild turkeys are an important part of the Rocky Mountain ecosystem. They help to control populations of insects and other pests, and they also provide food for other animals, such as coyotes, bobcats, and bears.

Here are some additional facts about wild turkeys in the Rocky Mountains:

• They are year-round residents of the mountains.
• They prefer to live in forests with a mix of open areas and dense vegetation.
• They are social birds and live in flocks of up to 20 individuals.
• They are very vocal birds and have a variety of calls, including gobbles, yelps, and purrs.
• They are hunted in the Rocky Mountains for their meat and feathers.

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