Turkeys are large, heavyset galliforms in the genus Meleagris, indigenous to the Americas. They are among the largest birds in their native ranges, as well as being one of the heaviest birds in …

Those odd birds at your Thanksgiving table are even wilder than you thought. Amuse your guests with some offbeat turkey facts.

In the early 1500s, European explorers brought home Wild Turkeys from Mexico, where native people had domesticated the birds centuries earlier. Turkeys quickly became popular on …

Dec 19, 2025 · turkey, either of two species of birds classified as members of either the family Phasianidae or Meleagrididae (order Galliformes). The best known is the common turkey …

There are accounts of wild turkeys being plentiful in the state from the early 1700s to the end of the 1800s, but, due to over hunting, turkeys were eliminated from Illinois by the early 1900s.

Domestic turkeys, bred for meat production, are derived from the Mexican subspecies of the wild turkey and have undergone significant genetic changes through selective breeding.

Nov 17, 2022 · While they might not look like the fastest birds, Wild Turkeys are surprisingly confident fliers, capable of hitting 60 miles per hour. They are also more agile than they appear.

Nov 8, 2019 · Turkeys have been evolving in North America for more than 20 million years and share a recent common ancestor with other fowl, like grouse and pheasants. It is the wild …

While it is illegal to release pen-raised turkeys in Illinois, some turkeys have escaped or been released into the wild. These birds often look like wild turkeys, but they lack a wariness of …

Nov 27, 2024 · Learn about the history of turkeys in Chicago, from their reintroduction to save them from the brink of being wiped out to how they’ve rebounded so well that they’ve gained …