Turkey is one of the most-discussed subjects at Christmastime. Often we get heated at the dinner table over the classic question – is it the best or worst roast Christmas meat? But here's your chance to steer loved ones away from that argument, and impress them with amazing turkey trivia.
Where are wild turkeys native to?
We have Yorkshireman William Strickland to thank for the turkey's presence on our British festive table. Apparently he acquired wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) from Native Americans in the 1500s, kickstarting the trade.
Although there's no firm evidence to corroborate this story, Strickland did adopt the turkey as the family crest. The drawing of his coat-of-arms is thought to be the first depiction of the bird in Europe. Plus, the village church where William Strickland is buried is decorated with images of turkeys.
While in the UK our main focus is on whether we choose the white or the bronze domestic turkey for our table, in North America the fascinating wild turkey still ranges in the central and eastern areas and is the largest gamebird.
You can also find flocks in Hawaii, Europe, and New Zealand.
10 turkey facts you might not know
1. Wild turkeys can swim
It's probably not their favourite means of getting around, but when they have to, wild turkeys can swim in water. They tuck in their wings and kick their feet to glide across the surface.
Their favourite habitat is woodlands near water.
2. They can fly, too
They don't have the most aerodynamic shapes, but wild turkeys can take flight when they need to. They can reach speeds of up to 55mph, but only for short distances of less than 0.5km.
They usually use their flying power to ascend into the tops of trees when they are alarmed, or to roost. They can also run up to 12 miles an hour.
3. They have a sophisticated language
The renowned 'gobble gobble' call of the turkey isn't the only sound they can make. In fact, turkeys are known for having sophisticated language and communication skills.
Apart from gobbling, they make up to 27 other kinds of sound. Other “words” in the turkey lexicon: a call that sounds like a yelp (keouk, keouk, keouk), an alarm (putt), and a cluck that’s used as an assembly note (kut).
4. They love a meaty meal
In winter, when snow covers the ground, turkeys will roost in trees, waiting out the bad conditions. US studies have shown they can go without food for up to a fortnight.
When conditions are right, wild turkeys will peck around on the ground for seeds, or eat crab apples from tress, but they do enjoy higher-protein fodder. When they can, they'll catch insects, and an occasional lizard or frog.
5. They can weigh up to 10kg
The male turkey, otherwise known as a gobbler, can grow to 1.2m tall and weigh up to 11 kg. Although, the average weight is less. The female hen is smaller, sometimes half the weight.
6. They have excellent eyesight
They might not be the quickest at evading predators, but turkeys' great vision gives them a head start. They can see in colour, three times more clearly than 20/20 vision, with a 270-degree field.
7. Males gather a harem
These birds aren't known for being monogamous. Displaying his tail, shaking his quills and retracting his head, the male will strut around making gobbling sounds to attract a harem.
Each hen will then lay around 8–15 eggs in a hollow in the ground, which hatch in 28 days.
9. Turkeys can be affectionate
Turkeys are sociable creatures that form flocks in the wild. A BBC wildlife drama-documentary tells the story of biologist Joe Hutto, who raised 13 endangered wild turkeys from eggs to the day they left home.
He is convinced the turkeys enjoyed affection, and in return were affectionate. Watch footage of what he believes is turkeys having feelings.
9. They were once threatened with extinction
In the early 1900s there were concerns that the wild turkey was going to become extinct due to overhunting. Plans to breed them in captivity then release into the wild failed due to the birds not learning to be fearful of predators.
Eventually wildlife biologists in South Carolina created a method of capturing wild turkeys with a net shot from a cannon. They then released them into habitats where wild turkeys were scarce or nonexistent.
10. They can lay up to 15 eggs
A hen can lay between nine and 15 brownish, spotted eggs at a time. Surely it was these sizeable broods that helped turkey numbers bounce back to 1.5 million by 1973?
Wild turkeys live between three and five years.
Main image: Getty Images