Calling all Citizen Scientists! Help us Track the Turkeys!

A few years ago in the East Bay, the Thanksgiving table was the only place you'd expect to see a turkey. Now they seem to be all over the place- roosting on roofs, waddling across streets, pecking in gardens, and startling our pets. Still, their comings and goings are mysterious. They’ll show up for weeks at a time, and then all of a sudden disappear.  Where do they all go?

We want to better understand the turkey population in our watershed and need your help! Visit “Track the Turkeys” on iNaturalist to add to our map of turkey sightings.  Tell us how many you saw and describe any behavior you observe.  Did you see a hen out with her poults, or a gang of jakes checking out new territory? Were they tentatively exploring, or confidant in their domain?

Using iNaturalist is easy and fun.  Simply sign in to iNaturalist,org, search for “Track the Turkeys,” and tell us all about your sighting! You can even access iNaturalist from your cell phone with their free iPhone and Android apps. By keeping your eyes peeled for turkeys while you’re out and about town, or hiking in the hills, you can help us learn more about our feathered friends.

Check in at http://www.inaturalist.org/projects/track-the-turkeys throughout the year to see where the turkeys have been in your neighborhood. Friends of Five Creeks, a 17-year-old volunteer nature restoration group, wants us all to know more about this new member of the urban wildlife community. Spread the word, and track the turkeys!