In Minnesota, that means the birds must eat much more from December through March months when natural foods are scarce. Fortunately, wild turkeys aren't picky eaters. These omnivorous birds will consume everything from seeds to snakes. In winter, wild turkeys scratch through snow to reach acorns, eat wild fruits such as sumac, and pick tree buds. Yet in completely natural conditions such as what pioneers found in this region 200 years ago, northern forests didn't produce enough of these foods in most winters.
Snow gets too deep for the birds to find enough acorns.
And without adequate calories, the birds die from the cold. Minnesota's landscape has changed markedly over the past century. Farms have replaced wetlands and woods, mostly to the detriment of wildlife. But there are exceptions. White-tailed deer and geese thrive in farmed lands.