TIL that Turkeys are just not very smart
As we sit down today to enjoy a delicious Turkey dinner, it reminds me of something that happened to me a few years back... so technically this isn't something that I learned today, but I think it is worth sharing anyways. :)
A few years ago I lived in a small town in the South Eastern corner of the great state of Nebraska, which is where this story takes place.
It was a snowy blustery day, one of many that I experienced during my time there (which is one of the main reasons I live in Arizona now).
I was coming home from visiting my aunt and uncle in a town nearby. I was traveling back on the highway that extended just behind the town where I was living. As I approached the town I decided I would exit the highway and take a back-road to get back to my house. As I made my way down the snow covered back road I noticed a group or large black objects sitting on the side of the road to my right... I slowed down to get a better glimpse of them and sure enough there was a group of almost 2 dozen turkeys sitting on the side of the road not far ahead of me.
I hadn't seen very many turkeys in life but I was sure these were turkeys. I continued to drive up slowly. It was still snowing at this time and somewhat hard to see so it was a good thing I was going slow. As I approached a couple of the turkeys started to cross the road, but stopped in the middle right in front of me. I didn't want to run them over so I stopped as well waiting for them to move...
After what seemed like a couple minutes I put the car in park and I honked my horn at them.. this caused the turkeys on the side of the road to take off running... right at my car... most of them ran across the road in front of my car, but apparently the snow impaired the vision of some of them because a couple of them ran right into the side of my black SUV. I am not sure if they thought I was a giant black cave or just a snow covered hill, but they ran right into the side of my front bumper as they were fleeing...
To this day I have never seen anything like that. I knew that Turkeys were not the brightest animals on the planet but I didn't think they would ever run into the side of my parked car!
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
Image Sources:
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/wild_turkey/id
https://audubonguides.wordpress.com/2010/11/24/turkey-day/
Follow: @jrcornel
That Dog must think these are the strangest Sheep he has ever herded!
That is a lot of turkeys!
loud ones :)
Perhaps they thought your car was a blocking sled. #turkeybowl
Haha could be!
Wow, they are pretty dumb! One thing I recently found out is that they can indeed fly a little bit. There are a group of turkeys that live around the house a friend of mine, and I was surprised when some of them took off and flew overtop of the house. Apparently they can't do that for long distances, but still they can fly a little.
Yep, they like to glide rather than fly :)
Resteemed
Thank you!
And domesticated turkeys are even dumber.
Don't leave them out in the rain, or they will drown.
Haha! That is hilarious!
How these guys ended up outliving the DODO is a mystery!
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Wild Turkey are geniuses compared to the domestic variety. Domestic turkey are stupider than sheep.
I wonder if these ones were domesticated... and escaped! :)
Having hunted wild turkeys, I can say that, yes, the legend of their stupidity is hard to comprehend. Which makes me feel extra defeated every time they outwit me in the woods.
Haha I hear you... I have only gone turkey hunting one time... didn't even see one. Yet when I am driving home... they run into the side of my car... go figure :)