Understanding habitat needs of a species is critical, especially for species reintroduced to an area or expanding their range. I evaluated roost tree selection and survival probability of GPS-tagged eastern wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris) from 2017–2020 and 2022 in Peterborough County, Ontario, Canada. Fine-scale roost tree selection was associated with larger trees, with microclimate factors such as wind speed, temperature, and precipitation having little to no influence. Turkeys showed high annual survival probabilities relative to other northern regions of their range, but survival was not influenced by proximity of roost tree to a building. The behaviour of roosting in an elevated perch helps turkeys avoid ground-dwelling predators, but specific selection of one tree versus another has little additional benefit to survival. Turkeys appear to survive well in a landscape that is a mix of agricultural and urban, with forest patches intact for roosting habitat.
Author Keywords: Eastern wild turkey, habitat, Meleagris gallopavo silvestris, microclimate, roost sites, survival