Do Wild Turkeys Stay in Illinois Through Thanksgiving?

As Thanksgiving approaches (November 27th), Illinois fields and forests are full of the bird that inspired the holiday feast, the wild turkey. We all know that millions of domestic turkeys meet their fate this time of year, what about their wild cousins? Do they migrate south for winter or tough it out right here in the Land of Lincoln?

Speaking of Lincoln, it seems our 16th president had a real fondness for turkey dinners, but he also had a heart about things. Abraham Lincoln was the first president in a long line of American presidents who've pardoned turkeys that otherwise would have ended up on a plate.

According to the Smithsonian, In 1863, a live turkey was delivered to the White House for the Lincoln family’s Christmas dinner (not Thanksgiving, which came later that same year, when Lincoln proclaimed the first national Thanksgiving).

Lincoln’s young son Tad grew attached to the bird, which he named Jack, and treated it like a pet, even teaching it to follow him around the White House grounds. When the day came for Jack to be slaughtered, Tad reportedly begged his dad to spare the bird, which Lincoln did.

Most People Think That Illinois' Wild Turkeys Migrate Out Of Our State Once The Weather Gets Cold And Thanksgiving And Christmas Are Approaching...But They Don't

When we picture wild turkeys in Illinois, many people assume they’re a seasonal sight, tied to fall and Thanksgiving. In reality, these birds are year-round residents. They don’t migrate south when the cold hits and the snow flies.

According to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR), the wild turkey is a common, native species in the state and remains a “year-round resident statewide.” Illinois' wild turkeys were reintroduced successfully after being almost completely wiped out in the early 1900s, and they now thrive across all 102 counties in Illinois.

While The Cold Creeps In And The Snow Falls, Illinois' Wild Turkeys Get Together

During winter, wild turkeys form flocks that combine into larger groups, especially where food is reliable. At night, they roost in trees, often in ravines or over water, to escape predators and cold. Their diet shifts too: with insects less available, they rely more on acorns, nuts, wild berries, and leftover grains or seeds in harvested fields.

So there's your answer. They bravely stick around throughout the entire year. Once they establish a good habitat with food, cover, and roosting areas, they rarely travel more than a few miles from it.