Thanksgiving Turkey
Wild turkeys and muscovy ducks happen to be the only two native species of birds that have been domesticated! European explorers discovered turkeys in Mexico that had been domesticated by the native people centuries earlier, and brought them to North American colonies to be bred. The wild turkey became a staple of American meals, still an iconic main course for Thanksgiving.
Which Came First? The Country or the Bird?
Linguists believe that the wild turkey was named after Turkey, the country, as Europeans were reminded of African guinea fowl that were native to Turkey, aptly naming the bird after the same region. Guinea fowls are not turkeys, however, and there are only two species of wild turkeys worldwide: the wild turkey of North America, and the ocellated turkey of Central America.
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