Thanksgiving Day has passed and if you live in the U.S. or
Canada, you’re probably still recovering from turkey overload. Yesterday we
commemorated that mythical feast between the Pilgrims and Native Americans,
where they all sat down to share in this land’s bounty. (“Would you like some smallpox with your gravy?”)
Birds evolved from small carnivorous dinosaurs around 170
million years ago. This ancient ancestry accounts for the many different bird species
that exist today; around ten thousand at last count. Humans, on the other hand, split
from our last common ancestor (LCA, if you want to sound savvy) a mere six million years ago, give or take a million. Birds beat us on scene by a long
shot.
Feathers evolved, not for flight, but probably for
insulation or display. Only later were they commandeered as part of the airborne
assemblage. Turkeys sport an impressive array - over thirty-five hundred. We, on the other
hand, lack these colorful adornments and can only grow hair, although there are
some among us who could give Sasquatch a run for his money.
Turkeys, like us, are vertebrates. Thus, we share many of
the same bones, although theirs have been modified for flight. Most birds have hollow bones compared to ours, which are thicker and heavier. Hollow bones
make for a lighter skeleton, which is essential if you intend to get off the
ground. Penguins are the exception, but their chunky little bodies have evolved
for swimming, resulting in a very non-birdlike anatomy.
Like us, turkeys rely on vision over smell. In fact, turkeys
can detect movement from a hundred yards out. And contrary to popular opinion,
they are fairly intelligent (unlike many humans). They are keenly aware of
their surroundings and can be quite friendly. Even early Europeans commented on
the cordiality of the turkeys they encountered when they arrived in the New
World. The birds would strut right up and cluck “howdy” just before they were
clunked on the head and thrown on the fire.
Turkeys were first domesticated by the Aztecs of Central
Mexico who not only bred them but also worshiped them. The ancients relied on
their meat, eggs, and feathers, but also believed turkeys were the physical
manifestation of one of their gods, Tescatlipoca, and held celebrations in
their honor. Once the Spanish clobbered the Aztecs, they loaded their ships
with turkeys and sailed back to Spain. The birds were then domesticated
throughout Europe. Ironically, the Pilgrims toted the birds back to the New
World aboard the Mayflower. These are some well-travelled birds.
Ben Franklin was enamored of the turkey. He referred to it
as a “bird of courage” and tried to convince his fellow Founding Fathers to
adopt it as the symbol for the new U.S. of A. But his contemporaries didn’t
share his enthusiasm and instead, nominated the eagle. Wise choice. It’d be
hard to kick ass around the world if your national symbol was a gobbler.
Bon appétit!
