There’s More To A Turkey That Makes It Neat Than Just Its Meat

As many folks get ready to prepare their turkeys for this Thanksgiving Day's feast, I'm always reminded of how interesting these birds really are.

For instance, did you know, that turkeys can actually fly really fast? The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife says:

"Turkeys can fly up to 60 miles per hour and a distance of 1 mile."

But something I was never aware of, and which took me by surprise, was that turkeys spent time in trees.

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I always thought they were predominantly ground birds.

About seven years ago, I pulled into my parents' driveway in Glenburn to see the strangest thing; there were about a half-a-dozen turkeys in her ornamental trees.

Now, I'm used to seeing flocks of turkey roaming about the fields along the Pushaw Road.

But seeing these big, busty birds up in my mom's little trees was kind of startling.

According to the National Wild Turkey Federation, finding a turkey in a tree is not that strange after all.

"Roosting in trees is an important element in the life of a wild turkey. It is a life-saving technique because roosting in trees helps birds avoid ground predators. Turkeys may use traditional roost sites night after night but they generally use different sites and move from tree to tree."

I can tell you first-hand, that as cool as it is to watch a flock of goofy turkeys cross the road in front of you, it's kind of something else to catch a glimpse of them sitting on a branch outside your window. It will, at the very least, make you do a double-take. Proving there's more to a turkey that makes it neat than just its meat.