Turkey influx won’t hurt grouse

The wild turkey has pulled off a stunning comeback in Wisconsin — but has the turkey’s success come at the expense of local grouse populations?

While you can find newly arrived turkeys in former grouse-only woods, the birds’ differing habits and food preferences ensure that neither is likely to displace the other, according to Scott Lutz, a wildlife ecologist at UW–Madison’s College of Agricultural and Life Sciences.

A species that’s expanding its range can hurt an established species by preying on it or out-competing it for food and habitat. Damage generally occurs when exotic species invade new territory. It rarely happens with species – turkeys and grouse, for example – that have historically co-existed, Lutz says.

If you’re looking for causes of grouse declines, likely culprits include development of habitat and maturing forests. But good news from drumming counts should keep grouse enthusiasts smiling for the next few years, and the Minocqua/Woodruff area is a good recent example of peaceful coexistence. Turkeys were moving into the area last year, but this year, grouse counts are up despite the newcomers.

Lutz’s current research at UW–Madison focuses on the ecology and management of quail, turkeys, woodcock, songbirds, magpies, and the threatened piping plover. He in the Department of Wildlife Ecology and serves as a fellow at Chadbourne Residential College.