Exploring spatial relationships: male wild turkey behavior on exploded leks

Male wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) use reproductive strategies that involve signaling behaviors to compete for mates. However, there is ambiguity as to whether the mating system of eastern wild turkeys (M. g. silvestris) is a form of lekking. Our objective was to evaluate the applicability of the exploded lek mating system in relation to reproductive behaviors of male wild turkeys. Using GPS data collected from 151 male and 261 female wild turkeys from 2014-2023 across the southeastern United States, we identified individual male display sites, and examined resource selection by males at those sites, under the premise that display sites constitute exploded leks. We found that average size of display sites was 49.89 ha and comprised approximately 8.12% of male reproductive ranges. Male wild turkeys traveled greater distances from their winter ranges to their display sites, than did females from their winter ranges to pre-laying ranges. Male wild turkeys selected display sites closer to hardwood forests and open areas. Additionally, we found selection of display sites was positively associated with an increase in the relative probability of female presence and visibility of males. Our findings suggest that the display sites we identified for male wild turkeys constitute exploded leks, contributing to an improved understanding of reproductive strategies used by wild turkeys.