Randolph Spindler, age 14, of Miami, Fla., for his question:

IS THE TURKEY A NATIVE AMERICAN?

The turkey is indeed a native American bird that is related to another American bird, the pheasant. There are two kinds: the ocellated turkey of Yucatan and Guatemala, a brilliantly colored bird with eyelike spots on its tail, and the wild turkey of Mexico and the United States.

At one time, many wild turkeys lived as far north as Maine and the southern part of the province of Ontario. They were a favorite game bird of pioneer hunters.

Wild turkeys can still be found in many small flocks in North American forests. They eat nuts, seeds, insects, berries and other small fruits. At night they rest in trees. They build crude nests of dry leaves on the ground and lay eggs about twice as large as chicken eggs.

The wild turkeys of southern Mexico were probably first domesticated by Mexicans. Spaniards brought tame Mexican turkeys to Europe in 1519. The Pilgrims brought some of this type of turkey back to America in 1620.

A long tuft of bristle like feathers hangs from the center of the wild turkey's breast and his legs have spurs. His head and neck have no feathers. A fleshy growth on the front of his head is called a snood or dew bill.

The turkey also has a pouch like area at the front of his throat called a wattle. Small reddish growths of skin at the base of the throat are called caruncles.

A female turkey is smaller than the male. Males are called "toms," females are called "hens" and young turkeys are called "poults."

Seven main varieties of domesticated turkey now live in the Americas. The largest is the bronze turkey with the adult male weighing up to 50 pounds. Other varieties include the Beltsville small white, the Narragansett, the white Holland, the Bourbon red, the black turkey and the Slate.

Turkey meat is nourishing and delicious. The turkey business is somewhat seasonal because many people buy the meat only during the fall and winter holidays, but there's now a big demand for turkey and the industry is growing.

Minnesota, the leading turkey producer in North America, sends more than 25 million birds to market each year. California is the second highest producer, with North Carolina and Missouri coming in third and fourth. Ranking from fifth to 10th, in order, are Texas, Arkansas, Ontario, Iowa, Indiana and Virginia.

Breeding has greatly improved the meat. Today's bird is a great deal better than its wild relative. Turkey meat is much more flavorful and tender today than it was just a few years ago.