Brush Turkey

The Australian brush turkey is commonly found all along the east coast. They are distinctive with their bold red heads, yellow necks and black plumage with grey feathers on the chest.

Brush turkeys are large, ground-dwelling birds that feed on insects, seeds and fruits. They forage for these by raking leaf litter on the ground with their legs.

Brush turkeys play a role in keeping insect numbers under control and spreading the seeds of native plants.

Turkey Mounds

The male brush turkey will build large mounds for the females to lay their eggs in during the breeding season, usually from August to February. If you are concerned about a brush turkey that is building a mound in your backyard, the below tips may help to prevent this.

• Reduce possible food sources - cover compost heaps, spare mulch, reduce leaf litter
• Place pebbles or river gravel around trees and vegetation
• To protect vegetable gardens, consider a raised garden bed or fence with shade cloth
• Protect your plants with tree guards
• Divert the bird’s attention to another area of your garden that is less valuable. You can achieve this by building a compost mound in a shady location (mounds require over 85% shade).

All native bird species are protected throughout NSW under the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 and harming adult birds, trapping without formal licenses and approvals and damaging and destroying eggs in the mound is against the law.

What Council will/will not do in cases of brush turkeys

Council does not relocate Brush Turkey nests.

More information

• Australian brush turkey | NSW Environment and Heritage