We’ve all seen this absolute unit of a bird — Turkey. Sure, it is very interesting to look at; but did you know that it is probably the biggest globetrotter of all birds? Or at least its name is. You see, in English, the bird is referred to by the name of ‘Turkey’. However, you may be surprised to learn that it is not native to Turkey, the country, at all! A recent video that went viral on social traces the fascinating origins of its many names.
Turkey, Peru Or Hindi: What Is The Real Name Of This Bird?
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According to a video that recently went viral on Instagram, the name ‘Turkey’ of the poultry bird is actually a misnomer. It is not native to Turkey at all! What is more, in Turkey, the actual country, the bird is referred to as Hindi.
This suggests connections with India. Even in French, the bird is called Dinde which also means a rooster from India. But the bird is not native to India either! In Greece, the bird is referred to as Gallopoola which means a bird from France and, as you might have guessed, it is not native to France.
Even in Cambodia, the bird is thought to be from France. This is not where the globetrotting stops! In Portuguese, the bird is called Peru, in Malay, it is referred to as a Dutch Chicken! Are you keeping track? This single bird seems to be better travelled than you ever will.
Confusion That Led To Fascinating Linguistic Globetrotting
Funnily enough, the confusion about its origin in the English language can be attributed to the misidentification of the bird. As per the video, a similar-looking bird – the Guinea Fowl. It was brought to Europe by the Ottomans or the Turks.
Even though the bird is actually from East Africa, the similarity in its appearance with Turkey and the fact that the Turks were the ones who got it, won the poultry bird this misnomer.
Did you know about these fascinating names of this large poultry bird? Are there any other fascinating facts about it that you know? Let us know in the comments section below!
Cover Image Credits: Canva Images and @wordswithreuben/Instagram
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