Wild Turkey Facts - Happy Thanksgiving from The Cove at Celo Mountain

Observing wildlife is one of the highlights of this beautiful, pristine property. A nationally-recognized design team kept this special place as pure and natural as possible - only enhancing what nature so perfectly provides us. National Geographic and other sources listed below provide the following facts on this amazing bird that looks prehistoric when nesting in trees and then incredibly regal in the mating season. These are wildlife observations you can experience when lying on your porch hammock in your Cabin at Celo, walking the 3 miles of manicured hiking trails along our streams, creeks, trout ponds and waterfalls, or while photographing from one of our lean-to's.

• "Wild turkeys sleep in trees at night.
• When a turkey gets mad, excited, or defensive its head and neck change color. The more excited a turkey becomes, the whiter the head and neck will also become.
• They do fly. In fact a wild turkey can glide without flapping his wings for almost a mile (Gianetta, 2003).
• Turkeys can run over 20 miles per hour and fly up to speeds of 40 miles per hour.
• Although turkeys have no external ears they can hear very well (Pearson, 2007).
• Domesticated turkeys cannot fly.
• Turkeys can have heart attacks just like humans. This was proven when turkeys died from the shock of jet planes flying overhead. (A., 2009).
• If a turkey looks up when it is raining it can drown. (A., 2009)
• The turkey was Benjamin Franklin's choice for the United States' national bird.
• The noble fowl was a favored food of Native Americans. When Europeans arrived, they made it one of only two domestic birds native to the Americas—the Muscovy duck shares the distinction.
• Only male turkeys display the ruffled feathers, fanlike tail, bare head, and bright beard commonly associated with these birds.
• Females lay 4 to 17 eggs, and feed their chicks after they hatch—but only for a few days. Young turkeys quickly learn to fend for themselves as part of mother/child flocks that can include dozens of animals. Males take no role in the care of young turkeys.
• Wild turkeys eat mostly plant material, including fruits, acorns and other nuts, small grains, and the seeds, shoots and roots of grasses and various other plants. They also eat many types of insects, small amphibians and even lizards. Turkeys generally fly down from roosting trees to feed in early morning, and return to the trees in the evening."

Come back to the simple pleasures of life lived close to the land - The Cove at Celo Mountain - outside of Asheville, NC - just off the Blue Ridge Parkway. The mountains are calling.

Read more: http://www.bukisa.com/articles/192187_16-fun-and-interesting-facts-about-the-turkey#ixzz15y9jm2A2
http://www.traderscreek.com/wild_turkey.asp
http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birds/wild-turkey.html