2006-11-21 08:25:58 · 28 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Holidays ➔ Thanksgiving
According to the article on Wikipedia, when Europeans first saw these birds in the Americas, they confused them with a different type of bird called the African Helmeted Guineafowl. This bird was also called the turkey (because it was imported to Central Europe through Turkey), so they went ahead and called the bird in the Americas "Turkey" also.
2006-11-21 08:33:47 · answer #1 · answered by Rae 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
What is the origin of turkey?
Turkey is short for "turkeycock" or "turkey-hen," originally the name for the African guinea fowl, and eventually for the Western hemisphere fowl with which the earlier bird was confused. This large gallinaceous bird was found domesticated in Mexico at the discovery of that country in 1518, and was soon introduced into Europe. Two sub-species or species of this were found wild - including the Northern wild turkey, a native of the eastern half of the continent, from Canada and the Missouri region to Texas. The wild original of the domestic fowl of North America was described in print in 1613 by the Pilgrims. When Europeans arrived in America, they noticed similarities between the guinea fowl and the American bird and called the latter turkey. Drintling refers to turkeys' clucking noises and the wishbone of a turkey used to be called the merrythought.
2006-11-21 08:56:25 · answer #2 · answered by Misha 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
HATE it! Thanksgiving means a lot to my family. We always take the time to tell what we're thankful for. We're not celebrating a bird or a country. Turkey Day my @$$ =P
2016-05-22 09:43:42 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because they just are, you doofus! Do you honestly think anyone on this site is going to personally know the guy that made up the word 'turkey?' Yeah, right! He's probably dead by now, anyway!
2006-11-21 08:28:37 · answer #4 · answered by ? 3 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Get in touch with Noah Webster thru the underground.
2006-11-21 08:37:54 · answer #5 · answered by Iseult 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Because that is what Adam named the species
2006-11-25 04:13:10 · answer #6 · answered by tanya 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
they were made in turkey which was called Constantinople that is why they have a natural drug that makes you sleepy
2006-11-21 08:28:50 · answer #7 · answered by I'm a brain in a Jar 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Um, well because they are turkeys?
2006-11-21 08:46:35 · answer #8 · answered by Erin 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
=s because they're turkeys! are you genuinely stupid or just trying (and failing) to be funny?
2006-11-21 08:28:45 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
They were introduced to Europe by Turkish traders.
2006-11-21 08:27:47 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋