The domestic, farm-raised turkey most Americans eat on Thanksgiving Day is nothing like the wild turkey feasted on by the Pilgrims and Native Americans.
With Thankgiving Day approaching, here are a few facts about the tasty game bird chosen as the main course for the first feast:
• Wild turkeys, now almost 7 million strong, were almost extinct in the early 1900s.
• Wild turkeys can run up to 25 mph. Usain Bolt, the world’s fastest-known human, averaged 23.35 mph during his world-record, 100 meters.
• Wild turkeys were argued by Benjamin Franklin to be a more appropriate choice than bald eagles as our national bird.
• Wild turkeys rarely weigh more than 24 pounds while domestic turkeys regularly grow to more than 40 pounds.
• Wild turkeys, which have as many as 6,000 feathers, can fly as fast as 55 mph. Most domestic turkeys are too heavy to fly.
• Wild turkeys have much sharper vision than humans and can view their entire surroundings simply by turning their head.
• Wild turkeys can make at least 28 different vocalizations, with gobbles heard up to one mile away.
• Wild turkeys roost (sleep) in trees, often as high as 50 feet off the ground.
The domestic, farm-raised turkey most Americans eat on Thanksgiving Day is nothing like the wild turkey feasted on by the Pilgrims and Native Americans.
With Thankgiving Day approaching, here are a few facts about the tasty game bird chosen as the main course for the first feast:
• Wild turkeys, now almost 7 million strong, were almost extinct in the early 1900s.
• Wild turkeys can run up to 25 mph. Usain Bolt, the world’s fastest-known human, averaged 23.35 mph during his world-record, 100 meters.
• Wild turkeys were argued by Benjamin Franklin to be a more appropriate choice than bald eagles as our national bird.
• Wild turkeys rarely weigh more than 24 pounds while domestic turkeys regularly grow to more than 40 pounds.
• Wild turkeys, which have as many as 6,000 feathers, can fly as fast as 55 mph. Most domestic turkeys are too heavy to fly.
• Wild turkeys have much sharper vision than humans and can view their entire surroundings simply by turning their head.
• Wild turkeys can make at least 28 different vocalizations, with gobbles heard up to one mile away.
• Wild turkeys roost (sleep) in trees, often as high as 50 feet off the ground.
