Ah, turkey!

 

Whilst doing an image search on "Saturnalia", I came across this image. It reminded of tales told that domestic turkeys have been so dumbed down by in-breeding, that they'll drown in a rainstorm as they always look up when rain touches their head and that their beaks are so malformed that they let water in.  

After a little looking around, I discovered this wasn't quite the case. They don't look up because they're dumb, they look up because of a nervous disorder, and only for up to a minute. So if it's a light rainfall, I guess they'll live. 

But there are some extraordinary differences between wild and domestic turkeys. The domestic variety are now so large and cumbersome that they are pretty much wholly dependent on humans for survival, as they cannot fly or escape predators.  

In fact, they can't even breed without human help, as the males (toms) have such large breasts that they can't umm... get in there, so to speak. Yes, this has led to the creation of one of those ever so amusing jobs, performed on farms around the world, turkey masturbation. 

As side note, not all turkeys are the result of sexual reproduction; some turkeys arise from unfertilized eggs, which is known as parthenogenesis. Yes, you've got it right: virgin birth turkeys! Hallelujah! 

If that weirds you out just a little too much, you'll be pleased to know that some wild(er) versions of turkeys are still being farmed. They're pricier, but apparently have a rich flavour to them (domestic turkey is so bland, it has to have flavour added to it). 

For way more information about turkeys than you'll ever need to know, read here:  

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domesticate d_turkey

Enjoy!