Effects of individual recess behaviors on nest and female survival of eastern wild turkeys

Reproduction is an energetically costly behavior, and nest success is an important parameter influencing avian population dynamics. Galliforms are particularly susceptible to reduced reproductive output due to nest placement, lengthy incubation periods, and substantive reliance on crypsis for survival. Hence, it is plausible that breeding individuals prioritize productivity and survival differently, resulting in a gradient of reproductive strategies. Movement patterns during incubation are not well documented in ground-nesting birds, and their influence on survival is unknown. Using GPS data collected from female eastern wild turkeys (n = 278) across the southeastern U.S., we evaluated the influence of incubation recess behaviors on nest and female survival. Modeling revealed females that took longer recess bouts increased individual survival but suffered reduced nest survival. Conversely, females that recessed often suffered greater mortality rates. Our findings suggest behavioral decisions represent trade-offs between predation risk and individual fitness consequences while incubating on an unpredictable landscape.