Female turkeys could be running the roost for years to come.
New research from the University of Georgia found that the gender of turkey offspring may depend on if the birds are living in an area full of hunters. And that trend could have big implications for the future of turkey populations.
Female turkeys' tendency to produce more daughters, especially in areas where hunting does take place, could have consequences for turkeys as a whole, the researchers said.
"These offspring sex ratios can have implications for turkey populations," said Erin Ulrey, a Ph.D. candidate in the UGA Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources. "If there are fewer high-quality males because the best males are harvested, females may not want to mate with the lower quality options. That could be an issue over time if male turkeys aren't produced or if it's just female turkeys being born."
Female turkeys understand, adapt to male survival patterns
Across sites in Georgia, South Carolina and Louisiana, the researchers monitored the activities of hundreds of male and female turkeys, as well as their nests and offspring over three years.
In those hunted areas, only about half of the resident male turkeys survived, compared to 83% at non-hunted sites. Female turkeys apparently might have to take this into account when preparing to mate and nest.
If the dominant, more attractive male mates are harvested by hunters at the beginning of mating season, having fewer remaining options could make reproduction more difficult.
The study found a balanced sex ratio in areas where hunting wasn't common. But in areas populated with hunters, turkeys were about 23% more likely to have female offspring.
Compared to the expected 50-50 split of gender across the hunted site approximately two-thirds of offspring were female instead.
"Understanding the role hunting plays in this reproduction of wild turkeys can help us manage the population in a sustainable way so that hunting can continue for years and years," Ulrey said.
Who runs the world? Girl turkeys could
Additionally, the researchers theorize that female turkeys may gauge survivability and bias toward offspring that could have an easier time surviving and reproducing.
The researchers say one explanation for this could be a maternal stress hormone in female turkeys. As hunting occurs during the laying period, it may cause an increase in stress for female turkeys. That stress can lead to elevated levels of the hormone and may make female offspring more likely.
"Turkeys are intelligent and know hunting is occurring while they're reproducing. If a female is visiting a male over several days and he disappears, she has to move on and try to find another male," Ulrey said. "If the females are experiencing this over time, they might be aware male mortality is higher."
This female offspring trend could result in fewer male turkeys overall, which could influence turkey populations over time, the researchers said.
This study was funded by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
