Turkeys are both wild and domestic in the Americas. Adult males are called Toms or Gobblers, adult females are called Hens, and juvenile turkeys are called Jakes. Males are larger and more colorful than females. Turkeys have over 5000 feathers.
Turkeys weigh 11-24 pounds generally, with 17 pounds as the average weight. The record weight is 37 pounds. They are among the largest native birds in North America, surpassed only by Condors, Cranes, Pelicans and Swans.
Turkeys prefer forests, as they roost in trees to avoid predators. They are active in daylight, as they have horrible night vision.
They are excellent and agile flyers, contrary to what you may have seen on WKRP in Cincinnati.
Much like the Wright Brothers, they tend to fly low and rarely fly more than a quarter mile. Wild turkeys do not migrate.
They are very tasty birds. This hurt them during colonial times, with the species being eradicated in some areas. They went from tens of millions to 1.3 million in the 1980s. Restoration efforts have the number up to 7 million now, and they are a common sight in Massachusetts.
They were rare enough to be a luxury meal by the 1800s. The Cratchit family was going to eat a goose for Christmas before Scrooge sprang for the turkey.
Turkeys have a strict social code which they sometimes work humans into. A submissive Turkey may follow a human, while a flock leader may attack humans. It is advised by some to scare turkeys if they start acting aggressive, and even tree huggers advance the concept of beating one down if you absolutely have to.
Turkeys on the Thanksgiving table are domestic, and not wild turkeys. There is often Wild Turkey on my family's dinner table... but we are of Irish descent, and things just sort of work out that way at times.
Our models today are from Plymouth, Onset and Cape Cod Community College in Hyannis. |
No comments:
Post a Comment