The turkey bird isn't the most attractive bird in the world, but it is kind of funny and it's also an American symbol that is revered every Thanksgiving.
The turkey bird
The turkey bird is that stuffed bird that's placed upside down on our dining room tables every year at Thanksgiving. It's not the world's most attractive bird, but it's one of the most delicious ones and is used to make sandwiches, soups and other foods.
The turkey bird is found all over the world, including the United States, where they run around in abundance. Many states have wild turkeys and many other states have turkey farms where turkeys are raised and bred to be slaughtered and sold for human consumption.
The male turkey bird
The female turkey bird is an important component in the mating process, but it is the male turkey bird that demands a lot of attention. Male turkeys are called Toms. The males, not the females, have large multi-colored plumages. The Tom's plumage, which is located on the back of the bird, is used to attract females. The Tom displays his plumage when females are near hoping that his efforts will land him a mate.
The male turkey bird also uses his gobbling ability to attract a mate. Humans may find this noise amusing, but the female turkey bird finds it attractive.
Turkey bird behaviors
Though we don't often see the turkey bird in a tree, the turkey bird can fly and usually spends the night in low tree branches. During the day these birds spend most of their time on the ground looking for and eating food.
The female turkey bird usually lives with other female turkey birds. Sometimes they live in groups that can exceed 25 female birds. These groups tend to increase in the winter time when the hens (female turkey birds) need more protection and have a harder time finding food. These groups of female turkey birds help to raise and protect the young. Baby turkey birds follow their mothers around for a few days, but then they learn to eat on their own.
How the bird got to the Thanksgiving table
The turkey bird is native to North America and was a staple in Native American's diets. It's believed that the Native Americans brought the turkey bird to the table on the very first Thanksgiving. Apparently the Native Americans liked the turkey bird and decided to keep it around for Thanksgivings to come.
