Wild turkeys roaming the hills are a charming staple of the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area. Especially in towns like Berkeley, Oakland and Walnut Creek, it’s common to find gigantic, colorful turkeys meandering through traffic, strutting their stuff with fanned-out tails, and even roosting in trees at night.
Most people assume that wild turkeys are native to the Bay Area. But they’re not.
It turns out that the Bay Area’s wild turkeys were introduced starting in the 1950s. And they weren’t just for show, either. You were originally supposed to shoot them.
Historical Introduction
The story dates back to between 1959 and 1999, when the California Fish and Game Commission introduced wild turkeys into the California wilderness.
Originally sourced from Texas, Colorado, and Nevada, these birds were part of a strategy to generate revenue through recreational hunting licenses.
Remember, at the time, the East Bay was largely wilderness. It wasn’t nearly as built up and developed as it is today. The state thought that if they introduced turkeys and sold hunting licenses, they could encourage people to travel to the East Bay to hunt the turkeys, and make some money, too.
Survival and Adaptation
The turkeys, it turned out, had other plans!
The released turkeys proved to be smart and hardy, ideal for thriving in the diverse Californian landscapes. Their omnivorous diet, consisting of seeds, berries, roots, insects, and small reptiles, facilitated their adaptation and survival in these new environments.
The East Bay also turns out to be an ideal habitat for these turkeys. They’ve adapted well to areas like Berkeley, Oakland, Walnut Creek, and parts of San Francisco.
While turkey populations in other places have dwindled, the Bay Area’s turkeys have thrived and multiplied. What started as a plan for generating hunting revenue has turned into a major conservation success story.
Key Facts About Bay Area’s Wild Turkeys:
- Origin: Introduced from Texas, Nevada, and Colorado.
- Expansion: Now occupy over a quarter of California’s state territory.
- Diet: Omnivorous with a varied appetite.
- Behavior: Can be aggressive towards humans, particularly during spring mating season.
- Mobility: Capable of flying short distances.
The Turkeys Today
Today, the East Bay looks very different than it did when California considered it little more than a wilderness hunting ground. East Bay cities are very built up, and most cities prohibit discharging a firearm within their limits.
The East Bay regional parks also explicitly ban hunting. That means in most places, you can’t hunt the Bay Area’s turkeys like you once could.
Still, these lovely birds are beautiful to see–at least when they’re not blocking traffic! And a word to the wise–don’t get too close. Turkeys look pretty, but they’re big birds that aren’t opposed to doing a bit of “hunting” of their own.
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Unfortunately the turkeys have now become so numerous that they’re see in every neighborhood in the East Bay and especially in Contra Costa County. We have literally spent thousands of dollars on our landscaping due to their destruction of our property. They also leave behind huge piles of turkey poop! It’s time for Fish & Game to thin the flock and allow hunting just like they allow deer hunting in the Fall.
I really hate biased reporting… Why do you think the turkeys are in the suburbs so much in the last 10 years? There’s still plenty of east bay “wilderness,” . Its because they are over populated. and starving; . and hunting is a tool to curb that. A hunting license supports conservation. They adjust limits according to populations. Maybe apply for a license and take the class and write a less prejudiced article.