For one of my February nature journal entries, I did a two-page spread about turkeys. I was seeing a lot of flocks of turkeys along the county highway which has been fun. The farmers were spreading manure and seed for them to eat.
About a week ago, I heard turkeys calling in the wooded area at the farm next door. They are getting closer to our farm!
When I've taken the dogs for walks during the past month, I see turkey foot prints in the hardened mud - so I know they are all around this area.
Turkeys have between 5,000-6,000 feathers.
The "beard" is a tuft of coarse hair that is about nine inches long.
Male turkeys weigh between 11-24 pounds; and females are 5-12 pounds.
They prefer to live in hardwood and mixed conifer-hardwood forests. They like scattered openings - such as pastures, fields, orchards, and seasonal marshes.
They are agile flyers; and can find perches in trees. They fly close to the ground for up to a quarter mile.
Turkeys are omnivores. They eat acorns, nuts, hard mast of various trees, seeds, berries, roots, and insects. Sometimes they will eat amphibians, small reptiles (snakes and lizards). They look for seeds on farmland.
2 comments:
OMGosh! I just got an email with links of the last 24 posts you have made! Why, Blogger, why? There's no way I can sit that long at the computer to read them all but I wanted you to know. You must have wondered where I went--LOL! As I did you--LOL!
Anyways, we have wild turkeys here over by the river. Dagan and Leah used to live near a smaller river in West Fargo and we saw them all the time. Loved it when you'd see a mama and her brood of young ones trailing behind her. I have a couple turkey feathers Leah picked up for me in their back yard. One day I might try cutting them into a quill pen. ;)
Fascinating turkey facts! How awesome that they are coming closer to your farm!
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