Now that Thanksgiving is behind us, you might think I could come up with a topic besides turkeys for today’s Dawn Chorus. But I’m not quite ready to let turkeys go yet because I found this great bunch of turkey facts that I didn’t know before. A nature writer named Melissa Mayntz provides the following info about turkeys in one of her short essays featured in The Spruce.com. Rather than reinvent the wheel, I’m going to borrow (with great thanks and attribution) these turkey tidbits
Wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) can be wild fun when you consider how unique and incredible these birds really are. While most birders and non-birders alike can easily recognize the distinctive plumage, large tails, bare heads, and gobbling call of these game birds, how much do you really know about them? These wild turkey facts might surprise you!
Trivia About Wild Turkeys
- Due to overhunting and deforestation that eliminated wild turkeys’ habitat, these birds were nearly extinct in the 1930s. Today, there are more than 7 million wild turkeys, and the population of these birds is increasing in many areas. Their range is spread throughout North America, from Canada to Mexico.
- There are approximately 5,500 feathers on an adult wild turkey, including 18 tail feathers that make up the male's distinct fan. Many of the feathers are iridescent, which gives the turkey its characteristic shimmering sheen.
- There are five distinct subspecies of wild turkeys: Eastern, Osceola, Rio Grande, Merriam’s, and Gould’s. Subtle plumage differences and different ranges distinguish these birds. In some classifications, a sixth subspecies, the south Mexican wild turkey, is also recognized. Another turkey, the ocellated turkey, is a completely separate species and looks quite different from more familiar wild turkeys, with bolder, brighter colors and different wattles.
- Wild turkeys have very powerful legs and can run at speeds up to 25 miles per hour. Their top speed in flight is 55 miles per hour. Domestic birds, on the other hand, are bred to be heavier so they provide more meat and therefore cannot fly, though they can still run.
These birds are omnivorous and will try many different foods. Most of their diet is grass and grain, but wild turkeys have a varied diet and will also eat insects, nuts, berries, and small reptiles. Domestic turkeys are typically fed specialized food pellets for balanced nutrition and optimum growth, but may also enjoy treats like vegetable scraps or leafy greens.
- The average lifespan of a wild turkey is 3-5 years, and the oldest known wild turkey lived to be at least 13 years old. Domestic birds bred for food only live a few months until they are the appropriate size for commercial slaughter, though breeding pairs may be kept several years.
- In the wild, turkeys range from 5-20 pounds. Domestic turkeys are specially bred to be heavier and could weigh twice as much as their wild cousins depending on their age when they are harvested.
- Because it is a native bird with a proud demeanor and protective instincts, the wild turkey was Benjamin Franklin’s preference for the national bird. Benjamin Franklin considered the Bald Eagle less honorable because it can be a scavenger and will rob other birds and animals for prey.
- A wild turkey’s gobble can be heard up to one mile away and is a primary means for a tom to communicate with his harem. The calls also warn other toms away from a territory that has already been claimed.
- Adult male turkeys are called toms and females are called hens. Very young birds are poults, while juvenile males are jakes and juvenile females are jennies. A group of turkeys is called a rafter or a flock.
- The wild turkey is one of only two birds native to North America that has been regularly domesticated, and domestic wild turkeys are raised all over the world. The other North American bird often bred for food is the Muscovy Duck.
- Alaska and Hawaii are the only two without extensive, naturally-occurring wild turkey populations. Some escaped birds or domestically bred turkeys can still be found in those states, however.
-
The wild turkey’s bald head and fleshy facial wattles can change color in seconds with excitement or emotion. The birds’ heads can be red, pink, white, or blue. The flap of skin that hangs down over a turkey's bill is called a snood and can also change color, size, and shape based on mood and activities.
-
To illustrate the head and wattles color change, check out these two photos that I took just moments apart. The first is a normal resting head, but compare it to the second photo where the head and wattles have turned blue. I think that may signal danger with the bird reacting to me and my camera slowly moving closer.
- Wild turkeys see in color and have excellent daytime vision that is three times better than a human’s eyesight and covers 270 degrees. They have poor vision at night, however, and generally become warier as it grows darker.
- Just hatched wild turkeys are precocial, which means they are born with feathers and can fend for themselves quickly. Young turkeys leave the nest within 24 hours to forage for food with their mothers. The male parent turkeys have very little to do with raising chicks. back to the New Word
- Wild turkeys were first domesticated in Mexico and then exported to Europe. European settlers brought domesticated turkeys back to the New World with them as colonists, but also hunted the wild birds they found.
- The first unofficial presidential pardons were granted to domestic turkeys in 1947. Since then every president has “pardoned” two birds (a presidential turkey and a vice presidential turkey) before Thanksgiving. The pardoned birds live out their days on different farms and are often put on display temporarily for the American public to greet.
June is National Turkey Lovers’ Month and promotes eating turkey at times other than major holidays. Turkey meat is low in fat and high in protein, making it healthier than many other meats. Because turkeys can be so large, they are also more affordable than many other available meats.
- The average American eats 18 pounds of turkey every year, and more turkeys are consumed on Thanksgiving than on Christmas and Easter combined.
- The wild turkey is the official game bird of Alabama, Massachusetts, and South Carolina. Though they may not be designated as official game birds in other states, wild turkeys are widely hunted, and in fact, turkeys are the most hunted of all birds in North America.
Now wasn’t that fun? So many interesting facts and figure about turkeys that I didn’t know before. And here’s a look at a leucistic wild turkey that was cruising around my neighborhood a few years back.
Finally, here’s one more look at the Ocellated Turkey which I had never heard of until today. Its brilliant colors are really something. I’d love to see one in real life.
That’s it for now. What’s new with you? Anything happening in your birding world you’d like to share? Let’s talk turkey or any other birds you’d like to mention.