Turkey (bird): Difference between revisions
imported>Aleta Curry (Made a start. I don't even like turkeys, particularly....) |
imported>Hayford Peirce (began the Franklin quote by doing so rewriting) |
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In addition, there are other birds commonly called or nicknamed ‘turkey’ which are not related to meleagris. These include the [[bush turkey]] and the [[brush turkey]]. | In addition, there are other birds commonly called or nicknamed ‘turkey’ which are not related to meleagris. These include the [[bush turkey]] and the [[brush turkey]]. | ||
Turkeys have several claims to fame, one | Turkeys have several claims to fame, one being that [[Benjamin Franklin]] felt that they should have been the US [[national bird]] instead of the [[Bald Eagle]]. Domestic turkeys are a staple of the [[turkey dinner]], which is a standard celebratory or feast in the West for such holidays as [[Christmas]] and also, in the US, [[Thanksgiving]]. | ||
Revision as of 15:10, 16 October 2010
A turkey is a large bird. There are wild and domestic varieties.
The naming of turkeys is a little bit confusing because it is one of the rare instances where using a biological name is not enough to clarify the animal of which we are speaking. The species name for the domestic turkey is Meleagris gallopavo, but this is also the biological name of the wild bird from which it was developed, the wild turkey. To further complicate matters, another species, the ocellated turkey, Meleagris ocellata, was also domesticated, but decendants of these birds are no longer used as poultry.
In addition, there are other birds commonly called or nicknamed ‘turkey’ which are not related to meleagris. These include the bush turkey and the brush turkey.
Turkeys have several claims to fame, one being that Benjamin Franklin felt that they should have been the US national bird instead of the Bald Eagle. Domestic turkeys are a staple of the turkey dinner, which is a standard celebratory or feast in the West for such holidays as Christmas and also, in the US, Thanksgiving.