The wild turkey, a large North American ground bird, is often associated with foraging for grains and seeds, but its diet includes a surprising component: snakes. Turkeys definitively consume snakes. This behavior is a documented part of the wild turkey’s opportunistic feeding habits, though it is not a daily occurrence. They typically prey on small, young, or non-venomous snakes encountered while foraging on the ground.
Turkey Predation on Snakes
The consumption of snakes by wild turkeys depends heavily on the reptile’s size, as they generally target only juvenile individuals. Turkeys eat small, young snakes, often swallowing them whole or in large pieces due to their manageable diameter. Researchers have documented the predation of baby venomous species, including young timber rattlesnakes and massasauga rattlesnakes, though adult venomous snakes are avoided.
This predatory behavior is opportunistic, not a primary hunting strategy, occurring only when a snake is encountered during routine foraging. The turkey’s ability to prey on these young reptiles is significant; biologists raising endangered massasauga rattlesnakes sometimes grow them to a larger size to reduce vulnerability to predators. Young snakes represent a concentrated source of protein that the bird will consume if it can be subdued quickly. Hens, especially when protecting young poults, have been observed persistently trying to finish off and eat serpents of various sizes.
General Omnivorous Diet
The wild turkey’s diet is broadly omnivorous, consisting of both plant and animal matter, which explains their occasional consumption of snakes. Their foraging habits are seasonal, dictated by the availability of food sources. During the fall and winter, the diet includes hard mast like acorns, nuts, and waste grains found in agricultural fields.
In the spring and summer, the turkey’s diet diversifies, focusing on green vegetation, berries, and invertebrates. They consume numerous insects, such as beetles, caterpillars, and grasshoppers, which are important for growing young poults. Their varied diet also includes small animal protein like salamanders, frogs, and lizards, establishing a foundation for the occasional snake meal. This ability to consume over 300 different food items highlights the turkey’s classification as an opportunistic omnivore.
Strategies for Handling Small Prey
Turkeys employ aggressive strategies to subdue and consume small, wriggling prey like snakes, lizards, or rodents. The bird’s primary tools are its powerful legs and feet, which are long and covered in tough scales. They use their feet to stomp, batter, or hold down the prey, aiming to immobilize it before swallowing.
Once the snake is subdued, the turkey uses its strong, sharp beak to grab the reptile, often targeting the neck or head. The bird then violently shakes the prey, which helps to disorient or kill the animal, preventing it from biting or escaping. This shaking behavior is a common technique used by ground-feeding birds to prepare small, elongated prey for consumption. The combination of physical force and violent shaking allows the turkey to neutralize the threat and turn a live snake into a manageable food source.