Giving Thanks For Thanksgiving Turkeys...fun facts

[littlemissmartypants]

http://www.neatorama.com/pet/2012/11/20/Giving-Thanks-For-Thanksgiving-Turkeys/

It’s Thanksgiving time again, which means Americans across the country will be firing up their ovens or deep fryers in preparation of a delicious turkey feast. In honor of the bird that has made this all possible though, here are some fun facts about the loveable, dopey turkey.

Which Turkey Came First?


While turkeys obviously evolved long before Turkey became a country, the creatures were actually named for the location despite the fact that they are native to the Americas. That’s because standard trade routes of the time meant goods from the Americas went through Turkey before being brought to Britain.

For the same reason, many other languages have named turkeys after other countries. For example, in French, turkey is “dinde,” meaning “from India.” In Cambodia, the birds are called “moan barang” which means “French chicken” –since the bird was introduced to the country by French colonists. And of course, Turks don’t call turkeys by that name as it would make no sense. Instead, turkey is “hindi” in Turkish, meaning “from India.”

Before They Were “Turkish,” They Were Mexican


Image Via Yathin S. Krishnappa [Wikipedia]

The first people to domesticate turkeys were the Aztecs of central Mexico. They started raising the birds at least 2,000 years ago, using their meat and eggs for protein and their feathers for decoration. The Aztecs associated turkeys with the trickster god Tezcatipoca partially because they thought the turkey acted so humorously.

When the Spanish came to the area, they brought back the birds and introduced them to Europe. Soon enough, a number of unique breeds were developed exclusively in Europe. By 1607, the turkey was seen as such a reliable food source that they were sent from England to Jamestown and settlers continued to bring turkeys with them as they travelled to the New World. Of course, they might not have bothered if they realized there was already a large subspecies of turkey living in the forests of Massachusetts. In fact, of all the myths about the first Thanksgiving, one thing is very certain –they did enjoy wild turkey.

Clearing Up the Rumors
Speaking of myths, there are a lot about turkeys that just aren’t true. The worst lie about them is the idea that they are so stupid that they will drown in a rainstorm because they will just stare up at the sky. There’s simply no truth to this story at all. While domestic turkeys might not be the smartest creatures around, they certainly aren’t dumb enough to drown by looking up at the falling rain.

More at link: http://www.neatorama.com/pet/2012/11/20/Giving-Thanks-For-Thanksgiving-Turkeys/

[Scuba]

1. Ha! Great, lots of myths busted! Thanks ....

... here in Wisconsin wild turkeys were re-introduced about 40 years ago and have thrived to the point they are becoming less timid and more of a nuisance. They can gobble up a lot of food that other birds and assorted wildlife no longer have available.