Returning neighbors: eastern wild turkey ( <i>Meleagris gallopavo silvestris</i> ) occupancy in an urban landscape

Abstract Once extirpated from most of its range because of overharvest and habitat loss in the early 1900s, the eastern wild turkey ( Meleagris gallopavo silvestris ) has been recolonizing landscapes in the eastern United States following restoration and reintroduction efforts. Wild turkey populations have rebounded in the last 50 years, and the wild turkey is now seen as one of the most successful conservation efforts in the United States. More recently, wild turkeys have begun to expand into cities across the United States. While this can be seen as a successful return of a once‐extirpated species, it has also given rise to human–wildlife conflict in highly populated areas. Given the ecological differences between urban and rural ecosystems, it is important for conservation and management efforts to understand how wild turkeys use urban landscapes. We used cameras deployed at 75 long‐term study sites across the Washington, D.C. region to assess occupancy and habitat use of urban wild turkeys at multiple scales. We found that wild turkey occupancy was positively correlated with the distance to roadways and the proportion of natural vegetation cover within 1 km, whereas occupancy was negatively correlated with the distance to the nearest water source and mean canopy height within 4 km. Our findings add to the understanding of how wild turkeys are returning and using novel urban ecosystems and can inform future management needs, contribute to conservation initiatives, and help reduce negative human–wildlife interactions.