Why does everyone believe turkeys can't fly?

[NickB79]

Apparently no one told the flock of wild turkeys that just flew across the highway as I was driving into town yesterday! Granted, they weren't the most graceful sight I've ever seen in the avian world, but they definitely flew a hundred yards or so.

[TZ]

1. DOMESTICATED turkeys are flightless

They basically are too heavy for their wings to lift. But no, wild turkeys can fly, although they prefer to run.
The farm turkey is quite different from the wild turkey.

[Crystal Clarity]

4. Farm Turkeys are jerks

I hate them. Goats too.


















!:rofl:

[Brother Buzz]

2. As God as my witness I thought turkeys could fly

[hedgehog]

3. Watching a wild turkey take-off looks and sounds like a 747, IMO.

The thought that something that big can get airborne and fly that fast is amazing.

[Gormy Cuss]

7. Good description.

That's just what it was like when my spouse surprised one in our yard. That bird was at the top of a 50 ft tree in a nanosecond. I never would have thought that something that bottom-heavy could move upwards so quickly. It wasn't a pretty flight but it was impressive.

[HopeHoops]

5. Wild turkeys can fly. Commercial "Butterball" sorts can't - I think it's the fucking pop-up button.

They go to fly and the button pops up and they fall back to the ground.

[Moondog]

6. There is a classic "WKRP in Cincinnati" episode about this ....

[MiddleFingerMom]

8. Who the HELL believes that turkeys can't fly?!?!?!?!?

.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

.
.
.
.
.

[nolabear]

12. Bwahahahahahahaaaaa!!!

You've just given me my Thanksgiving e-card for this year.

[sarge43]

17. Ding, ding, ding - we have a winner ... and a keeper n/t

[Connie_Corleone]

9. Us Cincinnati folks strongly disagree with you.

Need I remind you of the horrific turkey flying incident that happened here years ago? I still have nightmares about that.

[madinmaryland]

16. "As God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly!!!"

:rofl:

[old mark]

10. Wild turkeys fly just fine even roost in trees, which is something to see...nt

[TZ]

11. apparantly, that's a common sight up your way at the moment!

Someone just posted a picture of a flock of em on my facebook wall.....:hi:

[old mark]

20. They hang out in small flocks, and they make quiet noises to each other,

sound like people talking in the next room - you can hear the voices, but not the words. It can be a little unnerving if you are in the woods, and hear uninteligable voices coming from above...till you see a dozen wild turkeys on the branches of a big old maple tree...
The wild ones are much smarter than the domestic birds, but they are still no intellectual fireballs...


mark

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

13. They can fly, but I think sometimes they forget they can.

There is a large area of farmland and woods behind the building where I work (suburban Minneapolis/St. Paul area). We often see deer, coyotes and wild turkeys back there. Just along the parking area there is a chain link fence that separates it from a field. One day a male turkey somehow got himself on the wrong side of the fence, separating him from a small flock of female turkeys whose company he desired. So for about a half hour he ran back and forth along the fence, frantically trying to get to the other side, apparently forgetting he could fly there. A bunch of us were standing at a window watching this poor dumb bird and yelling stuff like, "FLY, you dumb bastard!" Finally one of my co-workers couldn't stand it any longer, and he went outside and ran toward the turkey waving his arms and hollering at him. This startled the turkey enough that he remembered his aviation skills, and he took off, flew over the fence and joined the ladies.

This might have been the same stupid bird who chased my car as I was pulling into the parking lot one morning.

The turkeys are huge, and dumb as stumps.

[TZ]

15. Lol

Not all are dumb..but they sure are aggressive..I had one stare me down because I drove up to it where it was standing in the middle of the road...Ran up a hill stopped turned around and glared down at me again. Apparantly, I was driving without her (I think it was a her) permission...:rofl:

[rucky]

14. WKRP n/t

[bikebloke]

18. Startled one in the woods

I was running in a orienteering meets when I came around a tree to see a wild turkey standing there. We both said "Oh shit!". Then the turkey lifted off, flapping through the trees. Pretty neat to see.

[KG]

19. here

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ST01bZJPuE0&NR=1