The Spanish explorers found tame turkeys in Mexico and the Indians of New England brought wild turkeys to celebrate the first Thanksgiving. So the turkey bird did not get his start in the country Turkey. He is an American bird. Some say we gave Tar. and Mrs. Turkey Bird the names they chose for themselves. Mrs. Turkey says, Turk, turk, turk in a soft voice.

And Mr. Turkey, the gobbler, says, Gobble, gobble, gobble.

Others think that the turkey was named when he was taken to Europe. The people there may have mistaken him for a  bird from Africa which went to Europe after a stay in the country Turkey. In any case, we are not sure how he got his name, but we do know that our Thanksgiving turkey is a native American bird.