PHYS.org • November 23, 2022
Thanksgiving may be right around the corner, but Maine's wild turkeys have more to worry about than ending up on the kitchen table. Winter is coming, and with it, extremely cold temperatures and fewer resources for turkeys to thrive. According to a University of Maine study, wild turkeys will adjust their movements in inclement winter weather to increase their odds of survival, but their behaviors may change as the climate continues to warm. "Thanks to conservation efforts, wild turkey populations are doing really well in Maine. Our work suggests part of their success relates to their flexibility in dealing with our long Maine winters," says Erik Blomberg, associate professor of wildlife population ecology at UMaine.