Role of kinship in sociality of female eastern wild turkeys

TY - JOUR

T1 - Role of kinship in sociality of female eastern wild turkeys

AU - Watkins, Sara A.

AU - vonHoldt, Bridgett M.

AU - Collier, Bret A.

AU - Chamberlain, Michael J.

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2025 The Author(s). Wildlife Society Bulletin published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of The Wildlife Society.

PY - 2025/12

Y1 - 2025/12

N2 - Female eastern wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris) exhibit seasonal variation in gregarious behaviors, forming larger winter flocks that dissolve into smaller social groups prior to the onset of reproductive activities. Information quantifying relatedness within social groups formed prior to breeding would allow an improved understanding of flock dynamics and the mating system of wild turkeys. We used a matrix of contact rates generated from high-resolution global positioning system data for 155 female wild turkeys across the southeastern United States to quantify interactions and contact rates based on genetic relatedness. By plotting contact rates for social groups temporally, we demonstrated how winter flocks dissolved as they transitioned to pre-laying harems and subsequently, into laying and incubation ranges. Social groups primarily dissolved during the laying phase. We observed substantive variation in cohesion among females within social groups. We found that 67% of all contacts between females within a social group occurred when they were in the pre-laying phase, 29% were between females who did not attempt a nest, but only 2.9% occurred during the laying phase. Using 3,789 single-nucleotide polymorphism variants per female to calculate genetic relatedness within and among social groups, we determined that 94% of all contacts occurred between unrelated females. Additionally, we noted that 60% of females with genetic relatives in their winter flocks did not join a social group that included those relatives. Our findings suggest that female wild turkeys identify a cost to associating with kin during the reproductive season.

AB - Female eastern wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris) exhibit seasonal variation in gregarious behaviors, forming larger winter flocks that dissolve into smaller social groups prior to the onset of reproductive activities. Information quantifying relatedness within social groups formed prior to breeding would allow an improved understanding of flock dynamics and the mating system of wild turkeys. We used a matrix of contact rates generated from high-resolution global positioning system data for 155 female wild turkeys across the southeastern United States to quantify interactions and contact rates based on genetic relatedness. By plotting contact rates for social groups temporally, we demonstrated how winter flocks dissolved as they transitioned to pre-laying harems and subsequently, into laying and incubation ranges. Social groups primarily dissolved during the laying phase. We observed substantive variation in cohesion among females within social groups. We found that 67% of all contacts between females within a social group occurred when they were in the pre-laying phase, 29% were between females who did not attempt a nest, but only 2.9% occurred during the laying phase. Using 3,789 single-nucleotide polymorphism variants per female to calculate genetic relatedness within and among social groups, we determined that 94% of all contacts occurred between unrelated females. Additionally, we noted that 60% of females with genetic relatives in their winter flocks did not join a social group that included those relatives. Our findings suggest that female wild turkeys identify a cost to associating with kin during the reproductive season.

KW - Meleagris gallopavo silvestris

KW - eastern wild turkey

KW - kinship

KW - social behavior

KW - wild turkey

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105023537995

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105023537995#tab=citedBy

U2 - 10.1002/wsb.1630

DO - 10.1002/wsb.1630

M3 - Article

SN - 0091-7648

VL - 49

JO - Wildlife Society Bulletin

JF - Wildlife Society Bulletin

IS - S1

M1 - e1630

ER -