Do Turkeys Sleep in Trees? Yes But Not Like You Expect (Where Turkeys Sleep)

What State Has the Most Wild Turkeys?

Wild turkeys can be found in all states, except for Alaska which is ironic considering the state’s impressive tree population.⁹

It makes sense though because Alaska is far too cold for these birds to survive.

(Image: Olid56²³)

Texas is where you’ll find the most turkeys, around 500,000 of them to be exact.

How Many Trees Are in the United States?

For those asking, how many trees are in the United States, North America is fourth on the global list of countries with the most trees, boasting a tree how do turkeys sleep population of nearly 228 billion.¹⁰

Topping that list is Russia, with nearly half of the country’s landmass covered in trees.

Second is Canada with nearly 320 billion trees and 40% forest cover, and in third place is Brazil with just over 300 billion trees, most of which are found in the Amazon rainforest here.¹¹

Why Do Turkeys Sleep in Trees?

With all this tree talk, why do turkeys sleep in trees anyway?

The main reason turkeys roost in trees at night is that their excellent vision wanes when it gets dark. During the day turkeys observe the world in color and can take in their surroundings up to 270 degrees, which means their field of vision is up to three times wider than that of humans.

Turkeys can’t see in 3D, but they make up for this by continuously moving their heads up and down.

Their poor night vision compels turkeys to sleep high up in the trees, far away from prowling predators.¹²

Wild turkeys are susceptible to toxic plants, however, with some dangerous trees including Pine and Cedar.

Pine trees contain phenols that could pose health issues for turkeys, While Cedar is known to cause breathing problems.

Wild Turkey Facts

Turkeys are amazing birds and have even been compared to house pets such as dogs and cats.

Here are some wild facts about this underestimated bird:

• Turkeys are incredibly social animals and form bonds with their human owners. This is just another reason turkey farming is such a horrendous practice.
  While living in heartbreaking and terrible conditions, turkeys still love their ‘owners’, only to be slaughtered anyway.
• There are distinct differences between male and female turkeys, but if you’re wondering what do only male turkeys do, they actually grow beards!¹³
• If you’re trying to figure out whether the turkey that visits your backyard is male or female without getting too close, you can have a look at their poop. Male turkey poop is shaped like the letter ‘J’, while female turkey poop looks like little spirals.
• Wild turkey families behave like human families, especially after a long night. They call out to one another every morning to make sure no turkey was left behind in the trees, or attacked by flying predators while sleeping.
• If you’re thinking of getting a turkey for a pet, you’ll have a friend for life. Turkeys bond with humans like cats and dogs do, and will even start running toward you when you get home from work.
• Turkeys can become emotionally overwhelmed, which in turn causes their heads to turn into shades of blue or red. When they calm down, their heads turn white again.
• Benjamin Franklin was a huge fan of turkeys, telling his daughter that he believed it was a far better icon for the US than the bald eagle. Franklin believed that turkeys were far more intelligent than anyone gave them credit for, and a lot braver than the bald eagle could ever be.
• Guinea fowls were once mistaken for turkeys, and given the name ‘turkey cocks’. When turkeys were brought to Europe, they became extremely popular and were also referred to as ‘cocks’ before the name was eventually shortened.
• A long time ago, indigenous tribes in America would use turkey legs as weapons. This is because male turkeys have small, sharp bony lumps on their legs that fit perfectly on war arrows.¹⁴
• In the 1800s, turkeys nearly went extinct because of excessive hunting and deforestation. They were brought back from the brink only to almost vanish again in the 1930s, because of ongoing hunting practices.¹⁵
• About 70,000,000 turkeys are killed in America for Thanksgiving and Christmas every single year.¹⁶

Even though turkeys are not endangered (yet), this constant turkey killing is contributing to the carbon footprint of meat.

Carbon Footprint of Meat

In the US, more than 2.2% of all emissions are produced through the processing of red meat. While that doesn’t sound too terrible, consider this: More than 1.1 tons of global CO₂ emissions can be linked directly to meat consumption.¹⁷

These figures don’t even cover the 14.5% of GHG emissions released by livestock farming. The methane released by farm cows has a global warming potential of up to 300 times that of CO₂.

Related Reading: Meat Carbon Footprint Facts

Beef remains the largest source of GHG emissions, with chicken and fish coming in slightly lower on the list. So, where do turkeys fit in?

Turkey meat is often grouped together with other poultry meat. The carbon footprint of this so-called white meat is not as big as that of red meat, but its impact on the environment shouldn’t be ignored.

Related Reading: Carbon Footprint Chicken

The carbon footprint of the average Thanksgiving dinner plays a role in the overall CO₂ footprint of all meat production. Turkeys form the centerpiece of the Thanksgiving table, and the cooked bird can emit around 7 pounds of carbon dioxide per kilogram.

That’s not even considering the emissions caused by leaving the turkey to cook in the oven for four hours or the stuffing which accounts for at least 25 pounds of carbon dioxide.¹⁸

That said, avoiding having turkey for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner is about more than just CO₂ emissions.

Turkey farms are often found to be in horrific conditions and workers are forced to perform their tasks regardless of the hazardous health risks posed by poultry dust.

Processed turkey meat has been linked to terminal illnesses including colon cancer and stomach cancer, while the terrible farming conditions also cause turkey meat to become compromised by serious bacteria such as Salmonella and even E. coli.

Even though turkey farming and hunting aren’t likely to slow down in the coming years, there is something that you as an individual can do to help stop the animals from enduring suffering, including choosing a vegan dinner during the holidays and spreading the word about cruel turkey farming techniques.

The next time you hear someone ask, do turkeys sleep in trees, you can tell them yes, they do, and not only to escape natural predators but other predators too.

Frequently Asked Questions About Do Turkeys Sleep in Trees