What are some interesting trivia facts about the Thanksgiving turkey?”
Amaze your friends with your knowledge about the most popular bird during Thanksgiving. Here are some interesting facts: * As far back as 1000 A.D., Native American Indians raised turkeys for food. Aztec Indians in Mexico were raising them as early as 200B.C. * Turkeys originally existed in the eastern US. and Mexico. * The turkey industry grosses over $1billion a year. * The Average American consumes over 15 pounds of Turkey per year. * Americans consume over 675 million pounds of turkey on Thanksgiving Day. * Turkey, like poultry, is lower in cholesterol than beef an many other meats. The dark meat (thigh, legs,) contains more fat and cholesterol than white meat. So, that’s why dark meat tastes so good! * Male Turkeys are called “Toms”, female turkeys are called “Hens” and baby turkeys are called “poults”. * Turkey eggs are tan in color and speckled with brown. They are about twice as large as chicken eggs. * In 1947, the first Presidential pardon was ceremoniously given to a turkey.
Of all the Thanksgiving symbols the Turkey has become the most well known. The wild turkey is native to northern Mexico and the eastern United States. The turkey has brown features with buff-colored feathers on the tips of the wing and on the tail. The male turkey is called a Tom and, as with most birds, is bigger and has brighter and more colorful plumage. The female is called a Hen and is generally smaller and drab in color. The Tom turkey has a long wattle (a fleshy, wrinkled, brightly colored fold of skin hanging from the neck or throat)at the base of its bill and additional wattles on the neck, as well as a prominent tuft of bristles resembling a beard projecting downward from its chest. he turkey was originally domesticated in Mexico, and was brought into Europe early in the 16th century. Since that time, turkeys have been extensively raised because of the excellent quality of their meat and eggs. Some of the common breeds of turkey in the United States are the Bronze, Narraganse
Benjamin Franklin argued that the turkey and not the bald eagle, should be the national symbol of America. He claimed that the vain and silly turkey was a far better choice than the blad eagle, which he thought was a coward.
Even though turkeys are generally seen as large and ungainly they can fly up to 55 MPH over short distances, run up to 25MPH on the ground, have excellent hearing but no ears, have a poor sense of smell, can see color, and have a 270 degree field of vision. This makes them very difficult to sneak up on and sometimes they do sleep in trees.
Old male "Tom" turkeys gobble, and they can be heard a mile away; the females only cluck or click.
