Factfile: They blush bright blue (and that’s no gobble gobble dygook)

TURKEYS evolved from dinosaurs. Researchers say the turkey’s wishbone (furcula) dates back more than 150 million years to meateating two-legged dinosaurs including velociraptors and Tyrannosaurus rex.

ONLY male turkeys gobble, to attract mates. Females make small, chirping noises. TURKEYS blush. The skin on their heads and necks can turn a bright red or blue whenever they become excited, sick, scared or annoyed. WILD turkeys can fly for short periods at up to 50mph, but don’t often spread their wings as their main foods are found on the ground. The turkeys fattened for us to eat are too heavy to fly.

TURKEYS like to sleep in trees, safe from predators. They often sleep in flocks and make soft yelps before descending to ensure the rest of their group is safe.

EVERY year the President of the United States will pardon one turkey on Thanksgiving. According to the White House, the tradition was started by Abraham Lincoln who

showed mercy to a Christmas turkey after his son Tad begged him not to kill it.

TURKEYS have excellent vision and can rotate their heads to get a full 360-degree view of their surroundings.

THEY have tiny stones known as gastroliths in their stomachs. As they have no teeth, they swallow the stones to aid in the breakdown of food for digestion.