Know-It-All Tuesdays: Let’s Talk Turkey

Trivia 2 Minutes

Why do turkeys gobble?

How much turkey does a person eat per year?

What’s that weird wobbly thing on a turkey’s neck?

What Is a baby turkey called?

And what about adult turkeys?

Can turkeys fly?

How long do turkeys live?

Are turkeys named after turkey, the country?

Are turkeys native to the Americas?

How did you do?

Only male turkeys, or toms, can make a call known as a “gobble;” they mostly do it in the spring and fall. It is a mating call and attracts the hens. Wild turkeys gobble when they’re surprised by loud sounds and when they settle in for the night. The wild turkey can make at least 30 different calls!

The average person in the United States will eat 15 pounds of turkey this year.

The loose red skin attached to the underside of a turkey’s beak is called a wattle. When the male turkey is excited, especially during mating season, the wattle turns a scarlet red. The fleshy flap of skin hanging over the gobbler’s beak is called a snood and turns bright red when the bird is excited. The wobbly little thing on the turkey’s chest is the turkey’s beard, which is made of keratin bristles. Keratin is the same substance that forms hair and horns on other animals.

A baby turkey is called a poult, chick, or even turklette.

An adult male turkey is called a tom (an adolescent male is a jake), and a female is a hen.

The wild turkey can fly! (It does, however, prefer to walk or run.) The domestic turkey is not an agile flyer, although the bird will perch in trees to stay safe from predators.

The average life span of a wild turkey is three or four years. It generally feeds on seeds, nuts, insects, and berries. The average life span of a domestic turkey, from birth to freezer, is 26 weeks. During this period, it will eat about 75 pounds of turkey feed.

When Europeans first encountered the wild turkey in Mexico, they incorrectly classified the bird as a type of guinea fowl called a turkey fowl. Turkish traders originally sold guinea fowl from Africa to European markets; Turkey has no native turkeys!

Yes, turkeys originated in the “New World.” Specifically, wild turkeys are native to Mexico. It’s a funny history. European explorers brought wild turkeys home with them in the early 1500s. The birds were domesticated in Europe and later brought to North America by English colonists. Note that domesticated turkeys have white-tipped tails; wild turkeys have dark-tipped tails.

Till next month…stay sharp!

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Published by pat frederick

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124 thoughts on “Know-It-All Tuesdays: Let’s Talk Turkey”

  6. “Trump’s Pick for FCC Chairman Targets Big Tech ‘Censorship Cartel’

    In a letter to Facebook, Google, Microsoft and Apple, Brendan Carr warned the companies they may lose the protections they enjoy under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act of 1996, described as “Big Tech’s prized liability shield.”

    by Michael Nevradakis, Ph.D., November 19, 2024

    Brendan Carr photo credit: Gage Skidmore via flickr.

    EXCERPT: “In a letter to the CEOs of Facebook, Google, Microsoft and Apple, Brendan Carr, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), accused the tech giants of “improper conduct” and participating in a “censorship cartel” that has “silenced Americans.”

    The four-page letter, sent Nov. 13, also addressed the companies’ dealings with “fact-checking” firm NewsGuard — the subject of a congressional investigation over “censorship concerns” and its ties to the Biden administration.

    The letter also warned the companies that they may be subject to investigation and regulatory actions under the Trump administration, including the potential loss of protections they enjoy under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act of 1996, described as “Big Tech’s prized liability shield.” Section 230 insulates tech companies from lawsuits concerning third-party content posted on their platforms.

    The companies have until Dec. 10 to respond to the FCC about their partnerships with NewsGuard….”

    https://childrenshealthdefense.org/defender/brendan-carr-fcc-social-media-censorship-cartel/

    Liked by 1 person

  7. Still no word on my truck….IDK if that’s bad or if it means he really IS doing a deep & thorough check front-to-back. If I don’t hear from him by noon tomorrow, I’ll give in and call. Finally, the wind has died down. Still no sign of Wheezer – guess he’s hooked up again! Hope so anyway.

    Sunset in Nebraska….

    Platte River

    Liked by 1 person

  8. I am adding a short daily prayer to the board. I would invite each of you, if you wish, to also add one or maybe two of your own liking. I do not want to stifle anyone but please limit yourself to one or two religious postings. here’s one I found that I liked.

    Like

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