Why is the turkey called a turkey?

Published: Jan. 16, 2013, 6:10 p.m.

Did you know that the turkey was in fact named after the country Turkey? In Turkey though, the name refers to coming from India. In India, it refers to Peru. In Arabic, it\u2019s called Greek Chicken. In French, it\u2019s Indian Chicken.

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So how did the turkey get it\u2019s name? In this short Untamed Science video, the crew looks at not only the name, but also what Benjamin Franklin had to say about the bird, and the basics of turkey behavior. For more information, check out our web page on the wild turkey.