turkey, the domesticated table bird.

The modern domestic fowl is descended from the North American wild turkey, Meleagris gallopavo, but despite its name has no relation whatsoever to the European country Turkey.

Historically a related Turkey from South America, introduced to Europe by the Spanish, Meleagris ocellata, was domesticated but has fallen out of production due to its smaller live weight and meat conversion rate. Some of the larger modern strains have to be artificially inseminated due to lack of agility.

The female domesticated turkey is called a hen and the young chick a poult. In most countries the male is called a stag but in most of the United
States, it is called a tom. The male turkey is the only one that calls with the "gobble" sound.

The vast majority of intensively reared domesticated turkeys have been bred with white feathers, although there are brown or bronze-feathered varieties raised, usually preferred in free range situations.

Both sexes have fleshy protuberance on the underside of the beak, known as a 'wattle'. The male's wattle tends to grow larger and become more brightly coloured than the female. The average natural lifespan for a stock breeding turkey is about 10 years. Generally turkey eggs are not consumed as human food but there is no reason why they can't.

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