Numbers in the News: Turkeys

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In the U.S., most people celebrate Thanksgiving with turkey. Find out some facts and figures about the bird and its role in this national holiday.

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95 PERCENT

The percentage of Americans who eat turkey on Thanksgiving

216.5 MILLION

The number of domestic turkeys raised on farms in the U.S. in 2021

6.5 MILLION

The number of wild turkeys in the U.S. today. They’re found in every state except Alaska.

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1,500 YEARS AGO

When archaeologists believe Indigenous people in Mexico first domesticated wild turkeys, which are native to North America

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55 MILES PER HOUR

The speed that a wild turkey can fly—but only short distances

THINK ABOUT IT: What animals or plants do people associate with other holidays? Why?

SOURCES: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, NATIONAL TURKEY FEDERATION

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