Picture Of The Week - Run Aways

What do you think these turkeys are thinking? In the spirit of Thanksgiving humor, we imagine it's something like "Run, boys! I heard them say something about stuffing"! They're running away from the Thanksgiving table, we think, and into freedom :-)

Talking Turkey

Did you know that when a male turkey gets excited, his head turns blue? And when he gets angry it turns red. Did you know that domestic turkeys are commonly bred to have white, not brown, feathers as well has larger breasts muscles?

If you're wondering about the bird you'll be eating this Thanksgiving, check our these blog posts from our archives for a variety of turkey facts!

• Thanksgiving Turkey Facts
• The Turkey - Almost A National Symbol
• Wild Turkey Facts
• Typical Male Turkeys
• Animal Facts: Turkey Senses
• Animal Facts: Funny Turkey Names

Thanksgiving Turkey Foods

No, we don't mean food to feed the turkeys on Thanksgiving. We mean fun foods and snacks that are turkey-shaped. Take a look at these yummy (and adorable) recipes and ideas that we found on Pinterest!

Turkey Candy Corn Cookies

Tasty Turkey Cheese Ball

Nutter Butter Turkey Cupcakes

Fruit Turkey

(Serve as is for a healthy snack, or with chocolate fondue for dessert)!

Apple Turkeys

Turkey Turkey Sandwiches

(for the day after Thanksgiving)

The Jungle Store's Thanksgiving Turkeys

Are you looking at your Thanksgiving decorations and thinking that you need a few more turkeys in the mix? TheJungleStore.com has stuffed turkeys (as in plush, not filled with dressing) and other items that would be happy to make their way on to your table this Thanksgiving!

Male Turkey Figurine

Webkinz Gobbler Turkey

Turkey Hand Puppet

Plush Wild Turkey 

Lil' Gobbler Baby Costume

Inflatable Turkey 

(because everyone appreciates a good Thanksgiving prank)

And don't forget to visit our website to see even more of our turkey items!

Wild Turkey Facts

The turkey has been an important part of Thanksgiving dinner in the United States and other holiday meals throughout much of the world for centuries. However, every bird that makes its way to the table this week is actually a descendant of one of the six subspecies of wild turkey; native only to North America. Here are a few facts about this uniquely American bird.

 

• Wild turkeys are significantly smaller and lighter than domesticated turkeys. Males usually weigh under 24 pounds and females less than     12 pounds.  
• Wild turkeys have between 5,000 and 6,000 feathers. 
• Unlike their domestic cousins who can't leave the ground, wild turkeys are very capable and agile fliers.
• By the early 20th century, wild turkeys were nearly wiped out due to hunting and habitat loss. Conservation efforts begun in the 1940s have proved so successful that the species now exists in areas where it did not originally naturally occur.

The Turkey - Almost A National Symbol

There is perhaps no greater symbol of our country than its national bird, the bald eagle. With its regal appearance it’s easy to see why the bald eagle was chosen by congress to represent America rather than the  wild turkey that Benjamin Franklin was campaigning for. In a well-known letter he wrote to his daughter in 1784, Franklin made his feelings about the national bird known.

“For my own part I wish the Bald Eagle had not been chosen the Representative of our Country. He is a Bird of bad moral character. He does not get his Living honestly. You may have seen him perched on some dead Tree near the River, where, too lazy to fish for himself, he watches the Labour of the Fishing Hawk; and when that diligent Bird has at length taken a Fish, and is bearing it to his Nest for the Support of his Mate and young Ones, the Bald Eagle pursues him and takes it from him.

With all this Injustice, he is never in good Case but like those among Men who live by Sharping & Robbing he is generally poor and often very lousy. Besides he is a rank Coward: The little King Bird not bigger than a Sparrow attacks him boldly and drives him out of the District. He is therefore by no means a proper Emblem for the brave and honest Cincinnati of America who have driven all the King birds from our Country...

I am on this account not displeased that the Figure is not known as a Bald Eagle, but looks more like a Turkey. For in Truth the Turkey is in Comparison a much more respectable Bird, and withal a true original Native of America... He is besides, though a little vain & silly, a Bird of Courage, and would not hesitate to attack a Grenadier of the British Guards who should presume to invade his Farm Yard with a red Coat on.”

We can gather from his letter that Mr. Franklin was not too big a fan of the bald eagle. But in the end, congress got their way; the bald eagle received national symbol status and the turkey got...Thanksgiving.

Animal Facts - Turkey Senses

Aside from their underdeveloped smell and taste, turkeys have very strong senses. They can see in color and have a wide field of vision (around 270 degrees) due to the position of their eyes, which also enables them to see two objects at once. They also have excellent hearing even though they don't have external ears, and can pinpoint sounds from as far as a mile away. Their beaks and feet highly sensitive to touch, which helps them while foraging for food.

Typical Male Turkeys

Only male turkeys have the "typical" turkey attributes, including the ruffled feathers, fanned tail and bright-colored beard. Like a peacock, the male turkey, which is called a "tom", uses its tail plumage to attract females. It also has a distinctive gobble can be heard a mile away.

Animal Facts - Funny Turkey Names

Turkeys have some funny names for the parts around their head and neck. They include: the caruncle (fleshy bumps on the head and neck); the snood (long flap of flesh that hangs over the beak); and the wattle (red skin that hangs from the neck).

Happy Thanksgiving! Fun Turkey Facts

Here are a few fun facts about turkeys that you can share with your family and friends during Thanksgiving dinner. To learn even more about turkeys, visit the turkey animal facts page.

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

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

• Turkeys spend the night in trees. They fly to their roosts around sunset.

• Turkeys fly to the ground at first light and feed until mid-morning. Feeding resumes in mid-afternoon.

• Gobbling starts before sunrise and can continue through most of the morning.

• A wild turkey has excellent vision and hearing. Their field of vision is about 270 degrees. This is the main reason they continue to elude some hunters.

• A spooked turkey can run at speeds up to 20 miles per hour. They can also burst into flight approaching speeds between 50-55 mph in a matter of seconds.

• Benjamin Franklin wanted the turkey to be the national bird.

• In 2007, the average American ate 17.5 pounds of turkey.

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