TURKEY TRIVIA

 Dressing a Really Big Bird

Without turkeys, Big Bird would be naked. Big Bird, of Sesame Street fame, is actually dressed in turkey feathers. Although he is not a turkey, his costume is made of nearly 4,000 white turkey feathers, which have been dyed bright yellow. 

Dancing Turkeys

The "turkey trot" was a dance made popular in the early 1900’s. Conservative members of society thought the dance was demoralizing and tried to get it banned at public function, which only served to increase it’s popularity. The turkey trot was not a graceful dance, as couples danced around in circles bobbing their heads like strutting tom turkeys. Alas, it was soon replaced by the ever so popular "Fox Trot" in 1914.  

The First Turkey Trot

In England, during the 1700's, turkeys were walked to market in large herds. Turkey farmers often covered the birds' feet with little booties to protect them on the long journey to the London market. Head ‘em up, move ‘em out.

Hey, You Turkey!

During the �?0's a popular slang expression was to call a person doing a stupid thing, a "turkey." Being called a turkey was not a compliment, in fact, it meant you were incompetent. The comparison was to the domestic turkey that has been bred into a condition of profound stupidity.

Bowling a Turkey

In the sport of bowling, when a player bowls three strikes in a row—it is called a turkey.

Which came first—the Pilgrim or the turkey?

Wild turkeys were probably first domesticated by native Mexicans. Spaniards brought tame Mexican turkeys to Europe in 1519, and they reached England by 1524. The Pilgrims actually brought several turkeys to America on the voyage in 1620.

Turkey: The National Bird?

Ben Franklin thought the North American wild turkey should be the national bird. Of course, the turkey of his day was nothing like the domesticated descendants we know today. The wild turkey of Ben Franklin's day was a brightly plumed, cunning bird of flight. Unlike eagles, turkeys live in flocks. Imagine seeing a flock of birds as large as turkeys flying across the sky. It must have been a wondrous sight. Wild turkeys have longer necks and legs as well as smaller breasts than turkeys bred for the table. The true American turkey was "wild and wary to the point of genius," said author G. T. Klein.  

TURKEY LINKS

A letter from Ben Franklin to his daughter about his desire to make the turkey the national bird.

Click on the arrow to hear the turkeys gobble! 

PAGE DESIGN, TURKEY BACKGROUND, & NEXT BUTTON BY FOREVER AMBER

TURKEY SNOWGLOBE FROM FOLKIE

CLIP ART FROM A FREEBIE PLACE