Table of Contents
How did Turkey get its name?
When the Spanish arrived in Mexico in the 16th century they encountered the already-domesticated common turkey, Meleagris gallopavo. They apparently liked the bird; turkeys were among the plunder they took back to Spain around 1519. So the new bird was soon being called a turkey-cock, eventually shortened to turkey.
The Phasianidae are a family of heavy, ground-living birds, which includes pheasants, partridges, junglefowl, chickens, turkeys, Old World quail, and peafowl. Sometimes, additional families and birds are treated as part of this family.
What is the life expectancy of a wild turkey?
Life Expectancy. The maximum recorded lifespan for a turkey in captivity is twelve years and four months. For turkeys living in the wild, the maximum is less than ten years, but the average life expectancy of a male turkey is just over 2 years and just over 3 years for females.
Why is Turkey so popular on Thanksgiving?
The first possible reason why turkey is eaten at Thanksgiving is that it was served at the Pilgrim ’s first Thanksgiving. Evidence for this comes from the writing of William Bradford who mentioned that turkey was eaten at the first Thanksgiving.
Why is Turkey considered part of Europe?
Turkey is in the process of joining the European Union and is not formally considered to be part of Europe from a political standpoint, but geographically, this nation straddles the border between Europe and Asia, lending ambiguity to Turkey’s continental identity.
Why is Turkey named after a bird?
A case of mistaken identity resulted in the American Turkey being named after the country. When the Spanish first found the bird in the Americas more than 400 years ago they brought it back to Europe. The English mistakenly thought it was a bird they called a “turkey” so they gave it the same name.