Overview

• Wild turkeys, once a conservation success story, are now in significant decline, particularly in the South and Midwest of the United States.
• Researchers estimate that the turkey population has fallen by at least 30 percent from peak levels in several states.
• Possible causes for the decline include habitat loss, hunting, disease, and climate change, but no definitive answers have been found yet.
• Even in states where turkey numbers are stable, officials are studying their numbers and watching for lessons from other places.
• Despite the decline, wild turkeys remain more common than they were several decades ago.