Terrific Turkey.

Gobble, gobble

It is related to T. rex and can sport multiple beards. The official bird of Thanksgiving has plenty of
juicy secrets that go beyond its pairing with cranberry sauce and stuffing. Live Science takes a look at
the rich biology, history, and folklore behind the staple of the harvest celebration. We hope you'll
gobble up some turkey science with your holiday meal.

They sport beards

The centerpiece of many a Thanksgiving table once sported a beard? Well, sort of. The hairlike bristles that grow from the chests of male turkeys (or gobblers) and some hens are actually specialized feathers called meso filoplumes that grow from a single follicle. They can be lengthy, with some bird beards touching the ground, though feeding tends to wear down the ends.

Some birds have two gobblers with a whopping eight beards have been spotted, according to the Game Commission, though of the 10 percent of multiple-bearded turkeys, most have just two.

Though scientists aren't certain the purpose of the filoplumes, they could serve a sensory function. Their movement could send information to birds about their tiny movements send information to nerve cells to tell a bird when its contour feathers need to adjusting.

Related to T. rex?

A turkey's wishbone the one you and your sister pull from opposite ends to see who gets the middle nodule is formed by the fusion of the bird's two collarbones. Also called a furcular, the bone serves as the connecting point for muscles and a brace for the wings.

During the bird's flapping and yes, turkeys can fly at a clip of 50 mph in short bursts, the wishbone acts as a spring to store and release energy. This elasticity is also the reason snapping a wishbone before it dries is so tough.

Turns out, the wishbone is more than a fun game for Turkey Day. It also serves as a reminder that birds evolved from a group of dinosaurs. The researchers have found that the wishbone dates back more than 150 million years to a group of meat-eating dinosaurs that includes T. rex and Velociraptor.