BITES AND BEARDS: EXAMINING TICK-TURKEY DYNAMICS ACROSS AN URBAN- RURAL GRADIENT

Abstract

Eastern wild turkey (M. gallopavo silvestris) sightings are becoming increasingly common in urban landscapes, potentially indicating a shift in turkey home ranges. Additionally, there are recent concerns that turkey and tick presence may be related, however the relationship remains poorly understood. In this study, I evaluated the occupancy and abundance of turkey populations across in eight parks in Montgomery County, MD. Additionally, I collected ticks in five out of the eight parks to assess local tick populations. I developed single-season occupancy models and hierarchical N-mixture abundance models for two seasons ecologically relevant to turkeys. This information enhances our understanding of turkey habitat preferences in county parks in Maryland, which is valuable for wildlife management in areas with significant human development. By better understanding turkey and tick distributions, we can mitigate human wildlife conflicts and contextualize the turkey-tick relationship.