More than 293 million Americans (that’s a whopping 88%) will feast on turkey November 28th. It’s no wonder gobblers are synonymous with Thanksgiving. Domestic turkeys are bred for meat production and can weigh up to 41 pounds.
Due to their mass, domestic turkeys cannot fly. They typically sport white feathers. Turkeys are only native to the Americas and were first domesticated by the Mayans 2,000 years ago. Spanish explorers took domesticated turkeys back to Europe in the 1500s. It wasn’t long before turkeys were being raised all over the old world. When colonists came to North America, they brought domestic turkeys with them.
Wild turkeys were already abundant in North America when the first Europeans began to settle here. Their mostly brown feathers provide excellent camouflage for North America’s largest game bird. Although smaller than their domestic cousins, they can weigh up to 20 pounds with a wingspan of 5 feet. These brown beauties can fly 55 miles per hour for short bursts and have been clocked running at 18 miles per hour. They can also swim when necessary.
Although they spend most of their time on the ground, turkeys roost in trees at night. When daybreak comes, they gather in flocks because there is safety in numbers. On the ground, these omnivores forage for nuts (acorns are a favorite), seeds, fruits, insects, and small vertebrates.
Early settlers considered turkeys to be a limitless supply (much like the bison). Due to overharvesting, habitat loss, and chestnut blight, wild turkeys were declared extinct in the state of Ohio in 1904. Throughout the 1930s and 40s programs to re-introduce wild turkeys to the buckeye state failed. In the 1950s new capture and release programs were successful at bringing this noble bird back to the Buckeye state. Today more than 200,000 wild turkeys live in all 88 counties of Ohio.
Because of their successful comeback, Ohio hosts several turkey hunting seasons each year. Wild turkeys provide a challenge to hunters due to their excellent eyesight. They can see 3x better than humans and they have a 270-degree field of vision. They also see colors and pick up on the slightest movements.
It’s no wonder founding father Benjamin Franklin called wild turkeys ‘respectable’ birds ‘of courage’.
