I received an e-mail about wild turkey facts that I thought I’d share. I know I learned something new.

  • 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.