Nine-banded armadillos are coming to a Midwestern woodlot and pasture near you—or perhaps they already have. The leathery little relatives of anteaters and sloths have expanded their home range northward from Texas into the lower Midwest due to the trend of milder winters brought about by climate change. Ground zero for the armadillo expansion seems to be Missouri. But they’re also showing up in southern Illinois, Indiana, and even Iowa.
“Over the past ten years, armadillos have unquestionably appeared on the scene,” claims Rick Dahl, the National Deer Association chairman who hunts and maintains wildlife habitat in Central Missouri. “I would say they’re pretty common at this point. ”.
Dahl says, “You look at what you think are turkey scratchings, but it’s really an armadillo because it’s a continuous line.” It’s obvious that the ground has been disturbed, but a hen wouldn’t scratch her way to the next location. Occasionally we’ll get pictures of them on trail camera. I also see evidence of the holes they dig. I’ll be driving the tractor and planting, and I’ve seen armadillos climb out of them. They’re denning right in the ag fields. ”.
As they’ve spread, armadillos’ reputation has changed from that of lovable, resilient scrappers in dusty deserts to that of destructive pests that uproot crops, dig up garden beds, and harbor leprosy. Many turkey hunters have observed that in areas where armadillos have either been present for a long time or have recently expanded, the production of turkey poults has drastically decreased. So how worried should hunters and wildlife managers be about the armadillo’s spread, and is there any basis for turkey fanatics to think that armadillos are the cause of the low production of turkey poults?
Armadillos, those peculiar armored creatures that roam the Americas, are primarily insectivores, meaning their diet consists mainly of insects and other invertebrates. While their primary food source includes ants, termites, spiders, and various grubs, there have been rare instances where armadillos have been observed consuming turkey eggs.
Armadillos: Primarily Insectivores
These fascinating mammals, known for their distinctive armor plating, play a crucial role in maintaining the ecological balance of their habitats. Their primary diet of insects helps control populations of these often-abundant creatures preventing them from causing imbalances in the ecosystem.
Armadillos’ keen sense of smell and powerful claws allow them to efficiently locate and excavate their insect prey, making them effective natural pest control agents. Their digging habits also contribute to soil aeration and nutrient cycling, playing a vital role in maintaining healthy soil conditions
Rare Cases of Armadillo Consumption of Turkey Eggs
While armadillos primarily focus on insects and other invertebrates, there have been documented cases where they have consumed turkey eggs These instances are relatively rare and likely occur opportunistically when armadillos encounter readily available eggs.
The consumption of turkey eggs by armadillos is not a significant part of their diet and does not pose a major threat to turkey populations. However, it is an interesting observation that highlights the opportunistic nature of these adaptable creatures.
Factors Influencing Armadillo Egg Consumption
Several factors can influence an armadillo’s decision to consume turkey eggs, including:
- Availability: If turkey eggs are readily available and easily accessible, armadillos may be more likely to consume them.
- Nutritional needs: If an armadillo is experiencing a nutritional deficiency, it may seek out alternative food sources, such as turkey eggs, to supplement its diet.
- Habitat: The type of habitat an armadillo inhabits can also influence its dietary choices. Armadillos living in areas with a higher density of turkey nests may have a greater chance of encountering and consuming eggs.
While armadillos primarily focus on insects and other invertebrates, there have been rare instances where they have consumed turkey eggs. These occurrences are likely opportunistic and do not pose a significant threat to turkey populations. Armadillos play a vital role in their ecosystems as insectivores, helping to maintain ecological balance and contribute to healthy soil conditions.
Why Are There Armadillos in Missouri?
Armadillos need warm temperatures to survive. As warmer climates push further north, the critter’s home range has expanded from Texas and the coastal South. Now, they reside in Oklahoma, Nebraska, northern Missouri, southern Illinois, and Iowa.
“They don’t have a lot of fat on their bodies. They are a temperature-intolerant animal,” Bowersock says. They don’t do well and won’t spread out very far if it’s extremely cold for an extended length of time. But perhaps as a result of climate change, armadillos have spread throughout the nation thanks to warmer winters and fewer periods of extreme cold. In the last decade, we’re seeing more armadillos showing up in more places throughout the southern Midwest. ”.
That “overly cold” weather means temperatures around 32 degrees Fahrenheit. When freezing weather strikes, armadillos will burrow underground. But they can’t hibernate, and the bugs they feed on burrow much deeper into the ground than they can. This means they often starve or freeze to death if the cold weather lasts for more than a few days.
MDC wildlife damage biologist Josh Wisdom recalls a record-setting cold snap in 2021 that should have shrunk the armadillo population.
“We really thought that would have killed them out. However, I don’t think it had any effect on them,” Wisdom says to Outdoor Life, adding that nobody is certain how they managed to survive.
Four decades of wildlife sighting data from Missouri bowhunters tells biologists that armadillos have chased warmer winters north.
“During the bowhunting season, we ask hunters to record how many hours they spend in their stand and all the animals they see,” furbearer biologist Nate Bowersock of the Missouri Department of Conservation says to Outdoor Life. “We can demonstrate that armadillos were gathered along the Arkansas border, but they gradually moved north over time and are now widely dispersed across the state with the data we have, at least as far back as the mid-1990s. You can probably see an armadillo in most places in Missouri now. ”.
Do Armadillos Eat Turkey Eggs?
A variety of scavengers can snatch eggs from a wild turkey nest. Keith / Adobe Stock
Turkey hunters in Missouri who are concerned about the decline in gobbler populations have proposed that low nest production could be caused by armadillo expansion. One Facebook post shares trail camera s of an armadillo going into an unprotected turkey nest at night. While it’s unclear exactly what the armadillo is doing in there, viewers can use their imaginations.
But at a larger scale, armadillos don’t pose much of a threat to turkey nests. Crows, feral hogs, and raccoons are much bigger concerns, according to MDC turkey biologist Nick Oakley.
“Armadillos are opportunistic egg eaters. I don’t know if they’re going to flush a turkey off a nest. Something like an armadillo is not going to be able to easily eject a hen who has worked so hard to lay those eggs and incubate them from the nest, Oakley tells Outdoor Life. “While humans and other predators can force a turkey from her nest, I don’t think an armadillo will cause any issues.” ”.
Oakley cites research from neighboring Texas and Arkansas in which armadillos ate eggs from one turkey nest out of 52 and one turkey nest out of 118, respectively. In a different study of the stomach contents of 81 Arkansas armadillos, researchers didn’t find any signs of bird or egg consumption.
“Armadillos probably do eat an egg when they come across it. Everything would eat an egg. But it’s likely not one of those primary sources of failed nests or poult predation,” Oakley says.
Why Don’t We Eat Turkey Eggs!
FAQ
Will armadillos eat eggs?
What animals eat turkey eggs?
What is armadillos favorite food?
What are the predators of the wild turkey?
Are armadillos a threat to Turkey nests?
One Facebook post shares trail camera images of an armadillo going into an unprotected turkey nest at night. While it’s unclear exactly what the armadillo is doing in there, viewers can use their imaginations. But at a larger scale, armadillos don’t pose much of a threat to turkey nests.
Do armadillos eat eggs?
In a different study of the stomach contents of 81 Arkansas armadillos, researchers didn’t find any signs of bird or egg consumption. “Armadillos probably do eat an egg when they come across it. Everything would eat an egg. But it’s likely not one of those primary sources of failed nests or poult predation,” Oakley says.
Do armadillos eat worms?
Interestingly, although armadillos are known to eat eggs of quail, turkeys, sea turtles, gopher tortoises, lizards, and snakes in the wild, our tests suggested that eggs from domestic bobwhite quail and chickens were less attractive than worms and crickets. Eggs from domestic birds seem to have limited potential to serve as bait for armadillos.
Do armadillos eat ants?
Yes, armadillo will eat all different kinds of ants just as they will eat most other types of insects. Though it would seem that ants are not one of their favorite foods. When attempting to eat ants, armadillos may dig into ant hills, greatly disturbing the entire ant colony in the process. They may end up with ants crawling all over them.