This week we celebrate all that we are thankful for around the traditional roast turkey. But what do you really know about that magnificent bird?
- The North American Turkey was nearly hunted to extinction by the early 1900s when there was just 30,000 birds left. Today, there are nearly 7 million.
- The dangly appendage on the male turkey’s head is called a snood. Snood length is associated with health, and females prefer a longer snood.
- A turkey’s gender can be determined by their feces. Males produce a spiral shaped dropping, while female droppings are shaped like the letter J.
- Contrary to common belief, Benjamin Franklin never proposed the turkey as the national bird. He did, however, sing its praises to his daughter in a letter, saying “the turkey is a much more respectable bird” than the bald eagle.
- Individual turkeys have unique voices. This is how they recognize each other.
- Wild turkeys can fly up to 55 mph over fairly short distances. Domesticated turkeys can’t fly at all.
- Turkeys have 5000-6000 feathers.
- Big Bird, while technically a canary, is made out of turkey feathers. Several thousand turkey feathers are washed and dyed for each costume.
- Turkeys can memorize their territory, plan ahead, and recognize patterns, but they’ll still attack anything that looks like a threat – including their own reflection.
- Babies (poults) are almost fully self-sufficient, being born with down feathers and the ability to walk and eat without assistance. Mom mostly sticks around for added protection, but that’s about all she’s needed for.
