Turkey Facts

Wild turkeys can run 20 miles per hour.

Wild turkeys can fly for short distances up to 55 miles per hour.

The turkey was domesticated in Mexico and brought to Europe in the 16th century.

The female turkey is called a hen.

The male turkey is called a tom.

The wild turkey is native to Northern Mexico and the Eastern United States.

A 15 pound turkey usually has about 70 percent white meat and 30 percent dark meat.

The heaviest turkey ever raised was 86 pounds, about the size of a large dog.

In 2003, the average American ate 17.4 pounds of turkey.

Turkeys can drown if they look up when it is raining.

Turkeys have heart attacks. When the Air Force was conducting test runs and breaking the sound barrier, fields of turkeys would drop dead.

The best time to see a turkey is on a warm clear day or in a light rain.

The bright skin that hangs from a turkey's neck is called a "wattle."

Turkeys are able to adapt to a wide variety of habitats. However, most turkeys are found in hardwood forests with grassy areas.

Turkeys have a wingspan of approximately 4.5 feet.