We have wild turkeys roaming all across Will County, but these wild birds are quite a bit different than the turkeys that grace our holiday tables. For starters, wild turkeys can fly, but turkeys raised on farms cannot. Wild turkeys aren’t strong flyers, but they will take to the skies to escape predators. They can reach speeds of 40 mph to 50 mph, but usually only for distances of 100 yards or less.
Wild turkeys also look a lot different than farm-raised turkeys. They are dark brown in color with some iridescent feathers that look colorful in the sunlight, while farm-raised turkeys are mostly white with bright red wattles. One more fun fact about turkeys: Even though they are a Thanksgiving staple today, they likely weren’t served at the first Thanksgiving, because they weren’t commonly eaten at the time.
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