Turkeys are believed to be named after the country. Linguists theorize that early Europeans were reminded of their African Guinea Fowl back home, which was native to Turkey, and the similarity led to its name.
While they might not look like the fastest birds, Wild Turkeys are surprisingly confident fliers, capable of hitting 60 miles per hour. They are also more agile than they appear.
Turkeys have excellent eyesight, seeing three times more clearly than 20/20 vision. They can also see in color and have a 270-degree field of vision. This—along with their generally wary nature—gives them an edge on both predators and hunters.
Male turkeys can weigh up to 25 pounds, while the average female is around half that weight. Despite this heft and their reputation for being ground dwellers, Wild Turkeys often roost overnight in trees to avoid predators.
The wild turkey’s bald head can change color in seconds with excitement or emotion. The birds’ heads can be red (pink), white, or blue.
Not only do turkeys have gorgeous feathers, but they also have a lot of them. According to the U.S. Fish and Wild Life Service, an adult turkey has anywhere from 5,000 to 6,000 individual feathers on their body.
Birds of both sexes make plenty of noise, including clucks, purrs, and yelps, but the gobble is unique to the males. It's a loud, descending trill that lasts about one second, which the male employs in springtime to announce his presence to potential mates and competing males. This is why male turkeys are often called "gobblers" while females are called "hens." (You can listen to samples of every turkey noise at the National Turkey Federation website.)
For the Record,
This day came in cold and sunny. We had some light snow last night that covered up the dirty snow.
I retired from public school teaching after happily spending twenty eight years playing in Kindergarten. Now I fill my days watching cat antics, taking endless...
