Thanksgiving and turkeys have been partners for hundreds of years. Actually, turkeys were part of the first Thanksgiving feast in 1621. Turkeys are distinctively American, native only to the North America continent. There are several theories on where the name turkey comes from. One is that the bird resembles a bird found in Turkey and thus the name. The other theory is that because turkeys make a call that sounds like turk-turk-turk they were named turkeys. Regardless of where they got their name, turkeys are one of America’s most fascinating birds.
When the first settlers arrived in this country they found wild turkeys by the thousands. In fact, wild turkeys were part of the first Thanksgiving Day meal. Settlers were already familiar with domesticated turkeys because the Spanish conquerors had discovered that the natives in Mexico had already domesticated wild turkeys. The Spaniards took some of the tame birds back to Europe where they became a popular farm bird. In fact, the early settlers brought the domesticated birds back to America in 1620.
Just about all the turkeys consumed during the present Thanksgiving Day feast are pen-raised domestic birds. They are larger than their wild cousins and a lot more tender. The largest domestic turkey on record weighed an incredible 86 pounds and the average weight for a domestic turkey is about 25 pounds. The domestic turkey of today has white feathers. Originally all the domestic turkeys were bronze in color, the same as the wild ones. Years ago farmers bred turkeys to be white because when the feathers were plucked from a white bird the pin feathers left in the bird were white, which made the bird more attractive to customers in supermarkets.
Most domestic turkeys are slaughtered at about six months of age. Most wild birds taken by hunters are between 1-3 years old. The domestic bird’s meat is much juicier and more tender than the wild bird. The thighs and legs (dark meat) on a domestic turkey are normally juicy, which many people prefer. The legs and thighs on a wild bird are usually so tough that it’s nearly impossible to chew them.
There are still a few people who prefer to serve the wild bird on Thanksgiving. Of course, these people have to first go hunting and bag the bird. Lake County has a large population of wild turkeys and it is a popular game bird in the county.
There is a big difference between the turkey the will grace most Thanksgiving Day tables and the wild turkey. Whereas tame turkeys have large plump breasts and short legs and can barely walk without falling over, the wild turkey has a v-shaped breast and long legs. The wild bird is also much leaner and the legs tougher. Most of the supermarket turkeys are of the white species called Beltsville Small White. They are bred for tenderness and more than 280 million are raised in this country annually. They are ready for the table after only 18 weeks and California is considered one of the leading states in turkey production with 16 million turkeys raised in the state annually
While domesticated turkeys are often considered to be one of the dumbest animals on earth, it’s just the opposite for their wild cousins. They are considered to be one of the wariest birds in the woods. They have excellent eyesight, can outrun a dog and fly like a pheasant. In fact, Benjamin Franklin once proposed that the wild turkey be our national bird because of the bird’s superior intelligence and the significance placed on it during the early history of this country. Domestic turkeys are considered so dumb they have been known to jump into water tanks and drown. They have no natural survivor skills and would be easy prey for coyotes, foxes and other predators.
Even though the wild turkey takes second place to the domestic bird this Thanksgiving, it deserves a special place in history. Without this noble animal there would be no holiday birds. The best part is that the turkey is truly American and a fitting tribute to Thanksgiving Day.
