Turkey Talk
Learn about our fine feathered friends at Charlotte Nature Museum
November 20, 2010Charlotte, NC – Strut your stuff alongside some of Thanksgiving’s most notable guests and learn about their special turkey talents as Charlotte Nature Museum hosts its November Creature Feature: Turkey Talk on Saturday, November 20, from 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
It might ruffle your feathers to know that only males display the fanlike tail, bare head and tousled feathers commonly associated with domesticated turkeys [Meleagris gallopavo]. Males and females usually spend the winter in separate rafters, or flocks, with females nesting in one area and males in another. When turkeys get hungry, they like to gobble up tidbits such as nuts, seeds, fruits, insects and berries that they find on the forest floor, grasslands or swamps. That food fuels them up to be impressive fliers for short distances; they can take off like helicopters almost straight up in the air. Did you know that a wild turkey was once clocked flying at a record-breaking 55 miles per hour?
Several fine feathered friends, including the domesticated turkey as well as the Eastern wild turkey [Meleagris gallopavo silvestris] will make a special visit to Charlotte Nature Museum during Turkey Talk for little ones to meet and greet, and special guest Steve Hughes with Steve Hughes Wildlife Lectures will be onsite with information about snoods, wattles, beards, spurs and more turkey trivia.
Story time will be an event to cluck about as we read “Turkey Pox” by Laurie Halse Anderson, “Sometimes it’s Turkey – Sometimes it’s Feathers” by Lorna Balian and ӒTwas the Night Before Thanksgiving” by Dav Pilkey. Make sure to stop by for “Autumn Woods,” a special Nature Dome show with Charlotte’s only talking tree, and really get hands on with our turkey friends by making your own handprint turkey in the Naturalist Lab. Gift items available in Trail’s End Store will include books about turkeys.
Creature Features, presented by Earth Fare with support from The Guild of Discovery Place and Charlotte Nature Museum, are monthly special events and include crafts, puppet shows, storytelling and refreshments (while supplies last). Creature Feature activities are free with Museum admission. Admission: $6 ages two and older, younger-than-two and Members are free. Parking is free.
Charlotte Nature Museum is located at 1658 Sterling Road, Charlotte. Hours are: Tuesday-Friday 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.; Saturday 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.; Sunday noon – 5:00 p.m.; and closed on Monday.
Charlotte Nature Museum offers visitors the chance to get close to wildlife and walk among free-flying butterflies in Butterfly Pavilion, observe live animals in Creature Cavern, buzz by Insect Alley or just hang out in Our Big Backyard. Visitors can learn together during workshops, summer camps and more. Daily programming including hands-on activities provide the opportunity for structured learning and informal play for kids of all ages. Charlotte Nature Museum is operated by Discovery Place, Inc.
