Turkeys, often associated with Thanksgiving, possess surprising traits: they can fly, blush, and are distant relatives of the fearsome Tyrannosaurus rex. Explore further to uncover fascinating turkey facts about these Thanksgiving divas.

While turkey sandwiches remain a popular choice year-round, it’s during Thanksgiving that the wattled bird takes center stage on dinner tables. However, turkeys offer more than just a delicious meal. As birds, turkeys, scientifically known as Meleagris gallopavo, share a fascinating link to the ancient dinosaur lineage, including Tyrannosaurus rex. Interestingly, turkeys can exhibit multiple beards, and they have a dazzling relative called the ocellated turkey (Meleagris ocellata), which resides in Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula, northern Belize, and northern Guatemala.

Explore the rich biology, history, and folklore behind this staple of the harvest celebration. We hope you’ll savor some turkey facts along with your holiday meal.

1. THEY SPORT BEARDS

At the heart of many Thanksgiving feasts, turkeys once showcased what appeared to be beards. However, these hairlike bristles sprouting from the chests of male turkeys, known as gobblers, and some hens, are actually specialized feathers called meso filoplumes. These feathers emerge from a single follicle and can grow quite long, with some reaching the ground. Yet, the constant pecking and feeding activities often cause the ends of these “beards” to wear down over time, as reported by the Pennsylvania Game Commission.

Some gobblers boast not just one but two beards. Remarkably, there have been sightings of gobblers with as many as eight beards, as reported by the Game Commission. However, the majority of multiple-bearded turkeys, which make up about 10% of the population, typically have only two beards.

While the exact function of filoplumes remains uncertain, scientists speculate that they might serve a sensory role. As explained in “The Nature of Feathers,” the subtle movements of filoplumes could relay information to nerve cells, helping birds adjust their contour feathers as needed.

2. RELATED TO T. REX?

The wishbone of a turkey, also known as the furcular, is formed by the fusion of the bird’s two collarbones. This bone serves as a point of connection for muscles and provides support for the wings. During flight, which turkeys are capable of at speeds up to 50 mph (80.5 km/h) in short bursts, the wishbone acts like a spring, storing and releasing energy. Its elasticity also explains why breaking a wishbone is challenging before it dries. Beyond its role in a Thanksgiving tradition, the wishbone holds evolutionary significance, dating back over 150 million years to theropods, a group of carnivorous dinosaurs that includes T. rex and Velociraptor.

3. THEY SLEEP IN TREES

Despite their large size and weight, with the heaviest wild turkey weighing 86 pounds (39 kilograms), turkeys actually prefer to sleep perched atop tree branches. This behavior helps keep them safe from predators like coyotes, foxes, and raccoons. Turkeys often sleep in groups and upon waking, they emit soft yelps to check on the rest of their roosting group after a night of separation.

4. FEMALE TURKEYS DON’T GOBBLE

If the turkey at the petting zoo doesn’t gobble, it’s likely a female, known as a hen. Only male turkeys, called gobblers, can make the iconic gobbling sound. Each gobbler has a unique gobbling “technique” that he uses along with strutting to attract potential mates. In contrast, female turkeys communicate through clucks and small, chirp-like noises.

5. THEY MAKE YOU SLEEPY?

If you feel sleepy after a traditional Thanksgiving meal, the turkey may play a role. Turkey meat contains tryptophan, an amino acid that the body uses to produce serotonin, a brain neurotransmitter involved in regulating sleep. However, all meats contain similar levels of tryptophan. Other tryptophan-rich foods include cheese, nuts, and shellfish.

What makes Thanksgiving meals so tiring is the combination of meat with carbohydrates. Carbohydrates from stuffing, sweet potatoes, bread, pie, and sugary treats stimulate insulin release, which prompts the muscles to take up most amino acids from the blood except for tryptophan. With fewer competing amino acids in the bloodstream, tryptophan can more easily reach the brain to produce serotonin, preparing you for sleep.

6. FRANKLIN ADORED TURKEYS?

Benjamin Franklin once wrote a letter to his daughter praising the turkey, sparking speculation that he favored it over the bald eagle as the national emblem of the United States. However, it’s uncertain if he was serious or joking.

Franklin may have been poking fun at the trend of designating national symbols, which wasn’t common in the 18th century, or he might have been satirizing the Society of the Cincinnati. Despite the speculation, Franklin never explicitly advocated for the turkey as the national bird; he simply complimented the turkey while criticizing the eagle.

7. WILD TURKEYS CAN FLY

Wild turkeys can achieve speeds of up to 55 miles per hour (89 km per hour) during short flights. However, their ability to fly is limited due to their small wings and heavy flight muscles, which make taking off a challenge.

While turkeys primarily forage on the ground, feeding on grass, seeds, acorns, nuts, berries, and insects like grasshoppers, the misconception that turkeys cannot fly may arise from domestic breeds like the broad-breasted white turkey. These domestic turkeys have been selectively bred to be heavier with larger breast muscles, rendering them incapable of flight due to their weight.

8. THEY HAVE PERISCOPIC VISION

Turkeys possess exceptional vision, a trait well-known to hunters. With eyes positioned on the sides of their heads, turkeys have periscopic vision, enabling them to see objects outside their direct line of sight. By rotating their heads, turkeys achieve a remarkable 360-degree field of vision, as detailed in James G. Dickson’s “The Wild Turkey: Biology and Management” (Stackpole Books, 1992).

9. THEY BLUSH

When turkeys experience fear, agitation, excitement, or illness, the exposed skin on their head and neck can undergo a color change from its typical pale pink or bluish-gray hue to shades of red, white, or blue. During mating season, the male turkey’s wattle becomes scarlet as a result of heightened sex hormone levels. Additionally, the fleshy flap of skin over the gobbler’s beak, known as the snood, also turns bright red when the bird is excited.

10. THEY HAVE STONES IN THEIR STOMACHS

In the turkey’s digestive system, a part called the gizzard contains small stones known as gastroliths, which aid in the breakdown of food since turkeys lack teeth. Turkeys possess two stomachs: the first, called the glandular stomach, softens and breaks down food with gastric juices. Subsequently, the food enters the muscular gizzard, where it is further dissolved by grinding against the gastroliths before progressing into the intestines or returning to the glandular stomach for more thorough digestion.