The Wild Turkey is an iconic symbol of Thanksgiving, but its story stretches far beyond the holiday table. Learn how turkeys traveled between the Americas and Europe, how Wild Turkeys nearly disappeared from parts of the United States, and how conservation efforts helped them return.
Wild Turkeys in the Americas
- One early description of the turkey appeared in Gonzalo Fernández de Oviedo’s 1525 General and Natural History of the Indies.
- Indigenous peoples domesticated turkeys in Mexico more than 2,000 years ago. Spanish explorers brought domestic turkeys from Mexico to Europe in the 1500s, where they became popular with European farmers and the elite.
- In 1541, Archbishop Cranmer ordered that large fowl such as cranes, swans, and turkeys “should be but one in a dish.” Turkey became a common dish at English festivals during the 1500s and was often served at Christmas dinner.
Turkeys Return to the Americas
English colonists brought domestic turkeys back across the Atlantic to Virginia and Massachusetts in the early 1600s. Wild Turkeys, however, were already native to North America, where Indigenous peoples had long lived alongside and hunted them.
John James Audubon once kept a pet turkey in Henderson, Kentucky. He had caught it when it was 2 days old, and it became a village favorite, following anyone who called it. At age 2, it flew off and did not return. Later, Audubon saw a large gobbler on a 5-mile walk and sent his dog after it. The turkey paid no attention to the dog, and Audubon realized it might be his old pet.
Wild Turkeys’ Decline and Comeback
Wild Turkeys were once numerous in Massachusetts’s oak and chestnut forests. From 1711 to 1717, they sold at market for 1 shilling 4 pence. By 1820, their numbers had declined and the price had increased tenfold. The last known native Wild Turkey in Massachusetts was killed in 1851. www.mass.gov
During the 20th century, Wild Turkeys disappeared from much of their historic range because of habitat loss and overhunting. Restoration programs helped bring them back. Today, Wild Turkeys can be found in 49 states; Alaska is the only state without them.
In New Hampshire, we often see Wild Turkeys in wooded areas at this time of year, enjoying plant nuts and berries. Cars stop in awe of these beautiful birds meandering through the forest.
Wild Turkey Facts
The Wild Turkey is the same species as the domestic turkey, but the two can look and act quite differently. Many commercially raised domestic turkeys are heavier and less agile than their wild relatives.
- Young turkeys are called poults. A young male turkey is called a jake.
- Within a day of hatching, a poult can be up and moving around in search of food.
- The bare skin on a turkey’s head and neck can change color when the bird is excited.
- A Wild Turkey can run up to 25 miles per hour. Many domestic turkeys, bred to be heavier, are slower on their feet.
- Wild Turkeys can fly at speeds of up to 55 miles per hour, though usually over short distances. Many domestic turkeys have been bred for large breasts and are poor fliers.
- Wild Turkeys are wary birds with keen eyesight. Domestic turkeys are generally more accustomed to people.
- Wild Turkeys sleep in trees, roosting high in the branches at night.
A Brief History of Wild Turkey Lore
In the early 1800s, Alexander Wilson shared extensive information about the turkey in his American Ornithology. John James Audubon later wrote about the species in his book Birds of America.
Benjamin Franklin famously criticized the Bald Eagle in a letter about the national seal, calling it “a bird of bad moral character.” He preferred the turkey, writing that it was “a true original Native of America” and “a Bird of Courage.” He even joked that it “would not hesitate to attack a Grenadier of the British Guards” who invaded its farmyard in a red coat.
We hope you learned something to talk about at the Thanksgiving table. For more Wild Turkey facts, see our Turkey Trivia page.
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