[Sca-cooks] Turkeys ARE Period!

[Terry Decker]

Actually, there is high probability that the Spanish introduced two 
different species at about the same time;  Agriocharis ocellata (AKA 
Meleagris ocellata) the Central American or "Mayan" turkey and Meleagris 
gallopavo riograndensis, both of which range into Mexico.  The latter bird 
is quite a bit larger than the Eastern woodland turkey, is often tan in 
color and does a lot of upright walking because it is a plains bird.  In my 
opinion, the white domesticated turkey is most likely a descendent of the 
Rio Grande turkey.

Oklahoma is at the western edge of the woodland turkey's range and the 
northeastern edge of the Rio Grande turkey's range and I've had the pleasure 
of observing both in the field.

Bear

> I'm sorry, but the poultrier has to weigh in here...The Spanish introduced 
> the Mayan Turkey(different species than NA wild turkey) into Europe by 
> 1500. The birds were being raised and sold in markets in ENGLAND by 1540 
> because HenryVIII put a price limit on how much one could charge.  By the 
> time the Pilgrims left for NA they had already seen turkeys in the markets 
> to England and the Netherlands. The Dutch were already breeding WHITE 
> turkeys by 1670...
>  The Spanish Blacks were introduced to England and there developed into 
> the Norfolk Blacks, these are now two of the oldest and rarest breeds of 
> turkeys left...the ancestral Mayan bird is in decline as well.
>
>  Now, I have to say the word 'turkey' can be mis leading and we need to 
> know that Guineas have been called 'turkeys' for a long time before the NA 
> bird..which is why the NA bird was first called the INDIAN turkey...until 
> of course we realized that we weren't in India...
>
>  sorry, ramblings of a poultry laurel....
>  Johann von Metten
>  aren't ya glad ya didn't get me going on chickens and eggs!! lol!!