- Ben Franklin, in a letter to his daughter, proposed the turkey as the official United States bird.
- In 2007, the average American ate 17.5 pounds of turkey.
- 97% or Americans surveyed by the National Turkey Federation eat turkey at Thanksgiving.
- Since 1970, turkey production in the United States has increased nearly 300 percent.
- In 2007, 271,685,000 turkeys were produced in the United States.
- In 1970, 50 per cent of all turkey consumed was during the holidays, now just 29 percent of all turkey consumed is during the holidays as more turkey is eaten year-round.
- In 2006, Turkey was the # 4 protein choice for American consumers behind chicken, beef and pork
- The average weight of a turkey purchased at Thanksgiving is 15 pounds.
- The heaviest turkey ever raised was 86 pounds, about the size of a large dog.
- A 15 pound turkey usually has about 70 percent white meat and 30 percent dark meat.
- The wild turkey is native to Northern Mexico and the Eastern United States.
- The male turkey is called a tom.
- The female turkey is called a hen.
- Wild turkeys can fly for short distances up to 55 miles per hour.
- Wild turkeys can run 20 miles per hour.
- Tom turkeys have beards. This is black, hairlike feathers on their breast. Hens sometimes have beards, too.
- Turkeys’ heads change colors when they become excited.
- 675,000,000 pounds of turkey are eaten each Thanksgiving in the United States.
- Turkeys can see movement almost a hundred yards away.
- Turkeys lived almost ten million years ago.
- Baby turkeys are called poults.
- It takes 75-80 pounds of feed to raise a 30 pound tom turkey.
- In 1920, U.S. turkey growers produced one turkey for every 29 persons in the U.S. Today growers produce nearly one turkey for every person in the country..
- The turkeys produced in 2007 together weighed 7.9 billion pounds and were valued at $3.7 billion.
- United States turkey growers will produce an estimated 271 million turkeys in 2008.
- Forty-five million turkeys are eaten each Thanksgiving.
- 29% of turkeys consumed in the United States are consumed during the holidays.
- Male turkeys gobble. Hens do not. They make a clicking noise.
- Gobbling turkeys can be heard a mile away on a quiet day.
- Minnesota, North Carolina, Arkansas, Virginia, Missouri and California are the leading producers of turkey in 2007. These states produced 175 million of the 271 million turkeys raised in 2007.
- The ballroom dance the "turkey trot" was named for the short, jerky steps that turkeys take.
- Turkeys don’t really have ears like ours, but they have very good hearing.
- Turkeys can see in color.
- A large group of turkeys is called a flock.
- Turkeys do not see well at night.
- A domesticated male turkey can reach a weight of 30 pounds within 18 weeks after hatching.
- Commercially raised turkeys cannot fly.
- Turkeys have heart attacks. The United States Air Force was doing test runs and breaking the sound barrier. Nearby turkeys dropped dead with heart attacks.
- Wild turkeys spend the night in trees. They especially like oak trees.
- Wild turkeys were almost wiped out in the early 1900's. Today there are wild turkeys in every state except Alaska.
- For 87% of people in the UK, Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without a traditional roast turkey.
- Turkey breeding has caused turkey breasts to grow so large that the turkeys fall over.
- June is National Turkey Lover’s Month.
- Since 1947, the National Turkey Federation has presented a live turkey and two dressed turkeys to the President. The President does not eat the live turkey. He "pardons" it and allows it to live out its days on a historical farm.
- The five most popular ways to serve leftover turkey is as a sandwich, in stew, chili or soup, casseroles and as a burger.
- Eating turkey does not cause you to feel sleepy after your Thanksgiving dinner. Carbohydrates in your Thanksgiving dinner are the likely cause of your sleepiness.
- 50 percent of U.S. consumers eat turkey at least once per week.
- According to the 2002 census, there were 8,436 turkey farms in the United States.
- Turkey is low in fat and high in protein.
- Turkey has more protein than chicken or beef.
- White meat has fewer calories and less fat than dark meat.
- Turkeys will have 3,500 feathers at maturity.
- Turkeys have been bred to have white feathers. White feathers have no spots under the skin when plucked.
- Most turkey feathers are composted.
- Turkey skins are tanned and used to make cowboy boots and belts.
- The costume that "Big Bird" wears on Sesame Street is rumored to be made of turkey feathers.
- Israelis eat the most turkeys.....28 pounds per person.
- Turkeys have a long, red, fleshy area called a snood that grows from the forehead over the bill.
- The fleshy growth under a turkey’s throat is called a wattle.
- Turkey eggs hatch in 28 days.
- Number of places in the United States named after the holiday’s traditional main course. Turkey, Texas, was the most populous in 2005, with 492 residents; followed by Turkey Creek, Louisiana (357); and Turkey, North Carolina (269). There also are nine townships around the country named “Turkey,” three in Kansas
Sources: National Turkey Federation, U.S.D.A., United States Census Bureau, Minnesota Turkey Growers Association, British Turkey Information Service, Canadian Turkey Marketing Association