Turkeys are a favorite when it comes to hunting. There are 6 subspecies in North America and can be found in every state except Alaska. In Georgia, we have the Eastern Wild Turkey which is the most abundant and widely spread in the United States.

Here are a few interesting facts you can share around the Thanksgiving table this year.TurkeyWP

  1. Turkeys can fly!

This large bird can post flight speeds of up to 55 mph and running speed up to 25 mph. While they may not be graceful fliers, they really know how to get out of a FOWL situation.

  1. Turkeys are omnivores.

They eat a variety of foods throughout the year depending on the season and availability. Turkeys will eat both hard and soft mast like persimmons, blackberries, and acorns as well as insects like grasshoppers and beetles. Turkeys have also been known to eat animals like frogs, lizards, and snakes!

  1. Each turkey has their own voice.

Just like humans can identify people and age ranges by our voices, so can turkeys! Seasoned turkey hunters plan for this by bringing different calls with higher or lower pitches and tones. Some Toms can be very picky about the calls they will strut to.

  1. Turkeys roost in trees.

At night, turkeys will fly up into trees and find a comfortable perch to sleep on. This keeps them safe from ground predators looking for an easy thanksgiving dinner.

turkey on log

  1. Turkey senses are tingling!

While turkeys don’t have ears quite like us, they can hear very well. They also have great eyesight and can see in color which helps them find food and see predators. Hunters won’t wear blaze orange during turkey season in the hopes of being more successful.