Historical Facts About Thanksgiving Turkey

Research suggests that there are two species of turkeys, the North American Wild Turkey and the Central American Ocellated Turkey.
Zelda,a female wild turkey has lived in New York's Battery park since 2003 Turkeys have been known by different names at different places. To name a few, it is called , dundjan in Maltese, tarnegol hodu in Hebrew and indiuk in the Russian language.

As far as the history of the turkey for Thanksgiving goes, we need to dig into William Bradford's famous work " History Of Plymouth Plantation". The Governor had sent four of his men for fowling and they had come back with turkeys, ducks and geese. The Bronze, Narragansett, White Holland and Bourbon Red are some of the common breeds of the American turkeys.

Benjamin Franklin had once said "The turkey is a much more respectable Bird and a true original Native of North America". In fact the turkey had become such a famous bird that the scientists cum statesman of America were in the idea of replacing the bald eagle, the national bird of America, to a turkey. Such was the liking for this particular species.

A very famous event called the National Thanksgiving Turkey Presentation takes place every year at the White house where the President of America is presented with a turkey by the turkey industry. As per the tradition the President gives a "presidential pardon" to the turkey and it happily goes to a separate farm to live the rest of its life. This tradition of gifting turkey to presidents dates back to the year 1947 when the first National Thanksgiving Turkey was given to President Harry Trueman.The turkey to be gifted on the National Thanksgiving Day are given a special treatment unlike any other ordinary turkey. The turkeys to be gifted are separated for their flock and raised separately on the Trites farm. These turkeys are hand fed and a specially made to interact with the people to familiarize them with the local crowd. The year 2005 stood witness to the 58th anniversary of the National Thanksgiving Presentation and two turkeys were lucky enough to get the presidential pardon and went their ways merrily to live in Disneyland. Ever since the year of its beginning, every president has performed their task of pardoning a turkey.