Birds need a powerful set of muscles to get airborne and fly. Most birds have about 175 major muscles. Muscles, the "meat" of a body, make up almost half of a bird's weight.

Birds carry their biggest, bulkiest muscles near the middle of the body to put weight at their center of gravity for efficient balance and flight efficiency . The largest leg muscles are on the thigh. Muscles of the distal wing and lower leg are small.

Have you ever wondered why the breast meat on your Thanksgiving turkey is light and the leg meat is dark?

Light meat does not have a good supply of blood rich in oxygen. These muscles can react quickly, but soon tire. A turkey's quick burst of flight relies on the rapid power of their "light" breast muscle although they can not fly at great distances.

Dark meat is muscle with a greater blood supply and a supply of fat. These muscles can work steadily for a long time without tiring. The dark meat of turkey thighs tells us turkeys are good runners and walkers.