Researching declines in Iowa's turkey populations, Iowa DNR
With wild turkey populations and the number of poults (baby turkeys) declining across eastern North America for the past few decades, the Iowa DNR is studying Iowa flocks to see if wildlife or domestic diseases are contributing to these declines. Join us as we go behind the scenes with Midwest Whitetail to learn how DNR biologists are studying these birds.
In Missouri and Illinois, researchers are looking into how predation and black flies affect poult numbers, so this study will contribute regionally to our understanding about turkey ecology in the Midwest.
Please note: No birds were injured during the netting process. Rocket nets are specifically designed to capture birds such as turkey, and are a common practice across the country for capturing upland birds and waterfowl. Birds were immediately removed from the nets and placed individually in capture boxes designed specifically to hold turkeys and give them a calm environment while waiting for researchers to examine them.
