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Wild Turkey Science

Are fire ants causing the turkey decline? | #166

Wild Turkey Science

Charlotte Nowak

Natural Sciences, Science

5.0 • 584 Ratings

🗓️ 12 January 2026

⏱️ 44 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

We explore the myths surrounding fire ants and their negative impacts on nests, hens, and poults.

 

Resources:

 

Allen, C. R., et al. (2004). Red imported fire ant impacts on wildlife: a decade of research. The American Midland Naturalist, 152(1), 88-103.

 

Brennan, L. A. (1993). Fire ants and northern bobwhites: a real problem or a red herring?. Wildlife Society Bulletin (1973-2006), 21(3), 351-355.

 

Jones, J. C., Hodges, B. N., Tegt, J., & Butler, A. B. (2015). INVASIVE NON‐NATIVE SPECIES AND WILD TURKEY IN THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES. Wildlife Society Bulletin, 2015, 89-103.

 

Martin, J. A., et al. (2015). Incubation and predation ecology of Wild Turkey nests: A cautionary case study regarding video camera surveillance. Wildlife Society Bulletin, 2015, 295-301. t

 

Twedt, D. J., Wilson, R. R., Henne‐Kerr, J. L., & Grosshuesch, D. A. (2002). Avian response to bottomland hardwood reforestation: the first 10 years. Restoration Ecology, 10(4), 645-655.

 

Wojcik, D. P., et al. (2001). Red imported fire ants: impact on biodiversity.

 

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Dr. Will Gulsby @dr_will_gulsby, Publications

Turkeys for Tomorrow @turkeysfortomorrow 

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This podcast is made possible by Turkeys for Tomorrow, a grassroots organization dedicated to the wild turkey. To learn more about TFT, go to turkeysfortomorrow.org. 

 

Music by Artlist.io

Produced & edited by Charlotte Nowak

 

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

Welcome to Wild Turkey Science, a podcast made possible by Turkeys for Tomorrow.

0:14.5

I'm Dr. Marcus Lashley, Professor of Wildlife Ecology at the University of Florida.

0:20.3

And I'm Dr. Will Gulsby, Professor of Wildlife Ecology and Management at Auburn University.

0:26.2

We're both lifelong hunters and devoted scientists who are passionate about hunting, managing, and researching wild turkeys.

0:33.5

In this podcast, we'll explore turkey research, speak to the experts in the field,

0:38.3

and address the difficult questions related to wild turkey ecology and management.

0:43.7

Our goal is to serve as your connection to wild turkey science.

0:59.3

And the lamp began. and the limp begins the limp the limp through the content

1:02.0

uh yeah we're limping this is our first time back recording since christmas right

1:07.9

we haven't recorded since christmas have we no No, we haven't. Okay. So how were your

1:12.7

holidays? Sically. How were yours? I think you share that with a lot of folks. Yeah, we had the same thing.

1:20.7

It was, luckily, ours was the week before Christmas and we got past it. Oh, yeah, ours was on Christmas.

1:27.1

Yeah. So, and then aurs was on Christmas. Yeah.

1:34.4

So, and then a lot of my other extended family was more, more toward New Year's.

1:35.0

Mm-hmm.

1:37.8

So, but it was a lot of fun. I got to do a lot of good quality hunting time.

1:42.6

Yeah.

1:42.9

Yeah, I got to do some hunting and some land management a little bit.

1:46.3

Yeah, great.

1:47.0

I did a little bit of land management myself.

1:48.9

Got the family on some deer.

1:51.9

Yeah?

...

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