The Big Sandy Mountaineer -

A family of turkeys moved into the east side of Big Sandy this past month. The Merriam's wild turkeys travel from one yard to another looking for seeds, leaves, insects, nuts, and berries. They also hold up traffic on occasion as they leisurely stroll across streets. The birds garner fame as their photos repeatedly pop up on social media. So what is their story?

Wild turkeys are native to North America but not native to Montana. The large birds were introduced to Montana in the 1950s as part of a restoration project. Wild turkey numbers declined in the early 1900s due to loss of habitat and over hunting. According to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, wild turkeys were an important source of food for pioneers and were hunted year–round without the protection of game laws. By 1920, the bird was lost from 18 of the original 39 states in its ancestral range.

In recent years, wild turkey populations continue to increase across the United States.

Trap and transplant programs of state game agencies help accelerate the growth. In 2016, Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks (MTFWP) released 125 Merriam's wild turkeys between Fort Benton and Loma. The release was in effort to augment local wild turkey populations along rivers in north central Montana and create more hunting and wildlife viewing opportunities for the public, according to MTFWP website.

Five different subspecies, native to North America, reside in different habitat areas.

Merriam's wild turkeys, of the mountain regions of the western United States, were named in honor of C. Hart Merriam, the first chief of the U.S. Biological Survey. Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado were the original territories of these birds. Although the wild turkey once was found only in isolated pockets and inaccessible areas, populations now occupy more square miles of habitat than any other game bird in North America.

So will our new residents stay around Big Sandy? The birds will likely stay near by because the residential trees and houses provide safety from predators and storms. Wild turkeys travel mostly by walking, though they can also run and fly. When these birds feel threatened, females will fly while males tend to run. At sundown turkeys fly into the lower limbs of trees and move upward from limb to limb to a high roost spot. MTFWP discourages residents from feeding these animals and reminds residents that shooting wildlife within city limits is illegal.