It’s fun to see wild turkeys strutting through backyards and neighborhoods. But can wild turkeys fly? And if they can, how fast are they? Depending on what you’ve heard, the answers might surprise you.
Turkeys are a common sight during the Thanksgiving season, but do these big birds actually have the ability to fly? The answer is not so straightforward Turkeys come in different varieties, with some able to fly short distances and others that are flightless Let’s take a closer look at the factors that determine whether a turkey can take to the air.
Wild Turkeys Can Fly Short Distances
Wild turkeys like the ones originally found in North America have the ability to fly, but only for short bursts. According to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR), wild turkeys can fly at speeds up to 55 miles per hour, but only for about a quarter mile at a time. Their flight is also low to the ground, with the birds rarely going higher than the tree tops.
Wild turkeys fly in order to reach their roosting spots in trees at night. This helps protect them from predators on the ground. They may also take brief flights to escape from danger during the day. But in general, wild turkeys do most of their foraging on the ground, walking and running to get around. Their ability to fly is more of an emergency escape strategy.
Domestic Turkeys Are Bred To Be Flightless
The domestic turkeys raised on farms are a very different story when it comes to flight Selective breeding for meat production has created turkeys that are much heavier and less mobile than their wild counterparts Domestic turkeys have broad, meaty breasts that make flying difficult if not impossible. Their legs are also shorter than wild turkeys, meaning they can’t run or walk as easily either.
According to the SCDNR, domestic turkeys lost their ability to fly due to this selective breeding. The average domestic turkey is simply too big and heavy to get airborne. Even if they could manage to take off briefly, they lack the stamina to go very far. These birds are designed to put energy into growing big rather than flying.
Heritage Breeds Have Some Flight Capacity
While commercial domestic turkeys are completely flightless, some heritage turkey breeds retain a bit more flight ability. Heritage breeds are bred to have traits closer to wild turkeys, so they tend to be slimmer in build and more athletic. A heritage turkey hen may be able to fly up to a low roost. The older and heavier heritage tom turkeys are less likely to fly.
More Turkey Facts:
- A group of turkeys is called a rafter or flock.
- Male turkeys are called toms, females are hens, young are poults.
- Wild turkeys have excellent vision, seeing in color and 270 degrees around.
- They are omnivores, eating seeds, nuts, berries, insects and small reptiles.
- Their poop shape indicates their sex – j-shaped for males, spiral for females.
- The flap of skin over the beak is called a snood.
- Their heads can be red, white, blue or mixed.
- There are 5 subspecies of wild turkey in North America.
How far can turkeys fly?
“Even genuinely wild wild turkeys can’t fly long distances as geese can do,” Erickson explains. “This is because they have different kinds of pectoral muscles. In turkeys, these muscles are made up of ‘fast twitch’ or white muscle fibers. These muscle cells twitch really fast, giving turkeys extremely powerful flight, but the muscles get exhausted quickly.”
How high can turkeys fly?
You’re not going to see turkeys soaring in the sky like a hawk. They do fly up into trees to roost at night, and that’s about as high as you’ll see them go. They might go a bit higher if trying to escape a predator, but the treetops are about the limit.
Turkey on the Fly
FAQ
Can turkeys fly or not?
Wild turkeys can fly and have a top flight speed of about 55 miles per hour. Wild turkeys can fly and have a top flight speed of about 55 miles per hour. Wild turkeys see in color and have excellent daytime vision, three times better than a human’s eyesight, with a visual field of more than 270 degrees.
How long can a turkey sustain a flight?
Unlike the muscles of the hind limbs, which are made for sustained use, the breast muscles that power a turkey’s wings are built for rapid but brief exertions. A wild turkey rarely flies more than about 100 yards, which is usually enough to bring it to safety.
How fast can a turkey run or fly?
Turkeys can run at speeds up to 25 miles per hour and are capable of flying as fast as 55 miles per hour (in short bursts).
Is turkey a flightless bird?
Turkeys are commonly considered in popular rhetoric to be flightless, but wild turkeys can, indeed, sustain short bursts of airborne activity. The wings of turkeys both wild and domesticated are highly cambered, which means that they demonstrate appreciable curvature from the leading edge to the trailing feathers.
Can wild turkeys fly?
Yes. Wild turkeys can fly. They forage on the ground, but at night, they will fly to the top of trees to roost. This helps protect them from predators lurking around at night. Not only will they fly up into trees, but they will also fly away from a scare or predator nipping at their heels.
Why do turkeys have to fly?
The wild birds have to fly because they often roost in tall trees at night. It’s not clear exactly where the myth turkeys can’t fly originated. However, these birds tend to spend most of their time on the ground.
How far can a wild turkey fly?
They are capable of short flights only, usually covering a maximum distance of around 400 meters (just under a quarter of a mile). How fast does a wild turkey fly? The average speed of a wild turkey in flight is an impressive 90 km/h (55 mph), but these cumbersome birds cannot sustain this pace for long periods of time or over long distances.
Do turkeys fly fast?
Yes, wild turkeys can fly short distances at surprisingly fast speeds up to 60 miles per hour. They will often fly up into trees to roost at night, keeping them safe from predators. But it’s rare to see turkeys fly. Plus, domesticated turkeys (those raised to live on farms) don’t always fly.
Are turkeys flightless?
(Height, Speed, Distance + FAQs) Domestic turkeys are classified as flightless birds, with it almost impossible to imagine their plump bodies ever being able to gain enough lift off the ground to become airborne. Is the same true for free-roaming turkeys, or can wild turkeys fly?
Do domestic turkeys fly better than wild turkeys?
Again, this will be a yes and no answer. Domestic turkeys are larger than wild turkeys and that will affect their flight. But the heritage turkey breeds will have a better chance at flying than the commercial broad-breasted white turkey which is the most widely-eaten turkey in America.