Long Island’s wild turkeys practically disappeared in the late 19th century. Now, they’re thriving in the suburbs thanks to state conservation efforts.
New York state is estimated to have around 180,000 wild turkeys — a decline from a few decades ago. But Long Island alone has around 6,000 birds, according to naturalist Frank Quevedo, and they are flourishing. He is executive director of the South Fork Natural History Museum and Nature Center in Bridgehampton.
“It wasn’t until human interactions that their numbers declined — hunting, habitat destruction. But you know, turkeys are native," Quevedo said. "I believe all native animals that once thrived here and are currently thriving here belong here. And they should be sustained here.”
Wild turkeys were reintroduced to Long Island about 30 years ago. Officials with the state Department of Environmental Conservation brought 75 birds over from other parts of the state. Quevedo said if you live in a densely populated part of Long Island, you are bound to have a run-in with a flock!
“There’s no habitat for them in suburban areas, so they’re constricted to feed in backyards of people’s homes. That’s why people probably think of them as a nuisance; they’re all over their backyard."
According to Quevedo, this rapid population expansion could also reveal an ecological imbalance. Centuries ago, Long Island was home to larger predators like bobcats, bears, mountain lions, and more. Today, Long Island turkeys face lower-level threats from hawks, snakes, and red foxes, which has not been enough to keep their numbers in check.
But Quevedo said there is hope with recent detections of a predator new to Long Island, the eastern coyote.
"It's already established itself in Nassau County," he said. "This natural expansion of this predator that's slowly working its way out to the east end of Long Island is a welcoming sight for me. This is nature's way of balancing out the ecosystem."
This summer, DEC officials asked Long Islanders to report their turkey sightings so they could set regulations for fall and spring hunting seasons. The spring season was only added last year, now that turkeys are so abundant. Around 2,000 hunters registered to take part in 2023.
