100+ Turkey Trivia Questions & Answers

Question: What is the high-flying, VIP name for turkeys in the scientific club?

Answer: Meleagris

Question: Which exclusive family does our wild turkey squad roll with?

Answer: Phasianidae

Question: Name the star species that kickstarted the trend in the Meleagris genus. Hint: It's the wild turkey everyone talks about!

Answer: Meleagris gallopavo

Question: How many turkey species are still strutting around today, proving that two is always better than one?

Answer: Two

Question: In which order do turkeys hang out, showing off their 'gallant' style?

Answer: Galliformes

Question: Which subfamily gives wild turkeys their extra swagger and pedigree?

Answer: Phasianinae

Question: What is the quirky tribe that brings wild turkeys and grouse together, almost like a bird band?

Answer: Tetraonini

Question: What do you call a baby turkey that's not yet ready to rock the Thanksgiving table?

Answer: Poult

Question: What’s the proper title for the lady turkeys strutting around?

Answer: Hen

Question: What dazzling scientific moniker is given to the ocellated turkey, the one with the eye-catching look?

Answer: Meleagris ocellata

Question: Can you name one turkey species that has left the stage, like a classic rock star gone extinct?

Answer: Meleagris californica or Meleagris crassipes

Question: In what exclusive club, known as a class, do turkeys strut their stuff?

Answer: Aves

Question: What phylum do turkeys belong to, connecting them to the grand chain of life?

Answer: Chordata

Question: Which kingdom do our turkey friends rule in, where the wild things are?

Answer: Animalia

Question: What is the ultra-exclusive domain that even turkeys have to check into?

Answer: Eukaryota

Question: Who is the OG turkey that paved the way for all our domesticated feathery pals?

Answer: Meleagris gallopavo

Question: What everyday name do people give to the elegant Meleagris ocellata?

Answer: Ocellated turkey

Question: Which long-gone turkey species once strutted its stuff in sunny Southern California?

Answer: Meleagris californica

Question: In which state did the ghost of a turkey past, known as Meleagris crassipes, roam?

Answer: Meleagris crassipes

Question: What is the jaw-dropping time span, in millions of years, over which turkeys have been rocking the earth?

Answer: 23–0 Ma

Question: What genus name, when translated from Ancient Greek, is linked to the mysterious 'guineafowl'?

Answer: Meleagris

Question: Within the Phasianidae clan, which subfamily claims wild turkeys as its own cool crew?

Answer: Phasianinae

Question: What is the all-star order that brings together pheasants, partridges, and our favorite turkey pals?

Answer: Galliformes

Question: Again, which fun-loving tribe unites wild turkeys and grouse in one feathery gang?

Answer: Tetraonini

Question: How many cool subspecies are there in the Meleagris gallopavo family, proving diversity is the spice of turkey life?

Answer: Six

Question: Where were turkeys first domesticated in a way that sounds like a secret culinary origin story?

Answer: Pre-Columbian Mexico

Question: How many years back did turkeys get their domestic glow-up in history?

Answer: 2,000 years ago

Question: Which indigenous folks were the original trendsetters in domesticating wild turkeys?

Answer: Indigenous peoples of Mexico

Question: During which epic historical exchange did domesticated turkeys cross over to Eurasia?

Answer: The Columbian Exchange

Question: In what year did Spain kick off Europe’s turkey obsession by exporting them?

Answer: Around 1519

Question: When did the feathered celebrities make their debut on English shores?

Answer: 1541

Question: Who was the suave introducer that brought turkeys to England’s party?

Answer: William Strickland

Question: Which national bird did Benjamin Franklin crown as the real superstar over the bald eagle?

Answer: The Wild Turkey

Question: In which Shakespeare play does the quirky term "turkey" make a cameo appearance?

Answer: Twelfth Night

Question: What French word for turkey hints at a mysterious Indian origin story?

Answer: Dinde

Question: From which country does the Portuguese term for turkey trace its roots?

Answer: Peru

Question: How many turkeys were strutting around in the U.S. during the 17th century?

Answer: 10 million turkeys

Question: By the 1930s, how many wild turkeys were still showing off their plumage in the U.S.?

Answer: 30,000

Question: In which decades did biologists start the wild turkey comeback tour in the U.S.?

Answer: 1960s and 1970s

Question: Which two states played host to the wild turkey re-introduction revolution?

Answer: Minnesota and Vermont

Question: When was the Norfolk turkey breed thought to have strutted into existence?

Answer: 19th century

Question: Which Earl brought American turkeys to Wolterton Hall for a transatlantic turkey twist?

Answer: Horatio Walpole, 1st Earl of Orford

Question: Which Spanish chroniclers captured the tale of turkeys in the bustling streets of Tenochtitlán?

Answer: Bernal Díaz del Castillo and Father Bernardino de Sahagún

Question: By which century had English settlers introduced turkeys to North America’s wild stage?

Answer: 17th century

Question: How long ago did the very first turkeys start evolving on North American turf?

Answer: Over 20 million years ago

Question: What are the two big villains believed to have led to the extinction of Meleagris californica?

Answer: Human hunting and climate change

Question: When was the ancient Oligocene fossil, Meleagris antiquus, first unveiled to science?

Answer: 1871

Question: Before genomic sleuthing came along, which family did scientists think turkeys belonged to?

Answer: Meleagrididae

Question: In what year did the draft sequence of the domestic turkey genome finally take flight?

Answer: 2010

Question: Which organization led the 2014 wild turkey population survey, keeping tabs on our feathered friends?

Answer: National Wild Turkey Federation Technical Committee

Question: Which U.S. president turned Thanksgiving into an official national celebration, making turkey day a must-have tradition?

Answer: President Abraham Lincoln

Question: What catchy phrase did Benjamin Franklin use when he backed the wild turkey as America's top feathered icon?

Answer: True original native

Question: How many turkeys are gobbled up in the United States every year, fueling feasts and festivities?

Answer: 45 million turkeys

Question: What term describes an emblem so grand it represents an entire nation, just as Franklin envisioned for the wild turkey?

Answer: National symbol

Question: What is the name of the popular Thanksgiving Day run that gets you strutting your stuff like a true turkey trotter?

Answer: Turkey Trot

Question: Which American holiday, celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November, fills plates with turkey and hearts with gratitude?

Answer: Thanksgiving Day

Question: What is the classic meal served on Thanksgiving that stars turkey, stuffing, and all the trimmings?

Answer: Thanksgiving feast

Question: Where do families gather to share laughs, memories, and a bountiful meal on this festive day?

Answer: Thanksgiving table

Question: How many turkeys are devoured each year in the U.S., making every bite a part of a grand tradition?

Answer: 235 million turkeys

Question: What do you call the precious eggs that a turkey lays, starting new cycles of feathery life?

Answer: Turkey eggs

Question: Which Founding Father famously advocated for the wild turkey to be the national bird of the United States?

Answer: Ben Franklin

Question: How many turkeys are chowed down in the United States every year, proving that turkey time is serious business?

Answer: 235 million turkeys

Question: What do you call the eggs that come straight from turkeys, a key ingredient in breakfast dreams?

Answer: Turkey eggs

Question: Which Founding Father made the bold case for the wild turkey as America's national bird, challenging the status quo?

Answer: Benjamin Franklin

Question: What friendly term did Benjamin Franklin use to describe the wild turkey when he championed it for national glory?

Answer: Respectable bird

Question: Which organization stands up for the turkey producers and the entire turkey industry in the United States?

Answer: National Turkey Federation

Question: What is the average weight of a commercially raised turkey, perfect for carving up a feast?

Answer: 15 pounds

Question: What is the traditional meal that stars turkey on the festive American holiday, celebrated with joy and full bellies?

Answer: Turkey dinner

Question: Which American holiday, falling on the fourth Thursday of November, is all about giving thanks and sharing a hearty turkey meal?

Answer: Thanksgiving dinner

Question: What term describes the length of time dedicated to enjoying the full Thanksgiving celebration and its delicious spread?

Answer: Time

Question: What is the name given to an adult male turkey, the true head of the flock?

Answer: Tom (or Gobbler)

Question: What friendly term did Benjamin Franklin use to sum up the charm of the wild turkey as America's national bird?

Answer: Respectable bird

Question: What is the unique collective noun for a group of turkeys, capturing their quirky flock vibe?

Answer: A rafter

Question: Which annual parade lights up the day with giant floats, balloons, and performances, all in honor of Thanksgiving?

Answer: Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

Question: Which U.S. president started the heartwarming tradition of pardoning a turkey each Thanksgiving, giving a second chance to a feathered friend?

Answer: George H.W. Bush

Question: What feathery foodie munches on a mix of crunchy delights in the spring and summer?

Answer: Grains, grasshoppers, spiders, worms, and lizards

Question: When the cool vibes of autumn and winter set in, which turkey treats turn into a fruity and nutty festival?

Answer: Fruits and nuts like grapes, blueberries, acorns, and walnuts

Question: At what magical hours do wild turkeys channel their inner superheroes and set off on their snack quests?

Answer: Sunrise and sunset

Question: Which secret fuel transforms domesticated turkeys into the star performers of the barnyard blockbuster?

Answer: Commercially produced feed

Question: How do wild turkeys throw a feathery fit when unexpected humans crash their hangout?

Answer: They can be aggressive

Question: What clever system keeps wild turkeys more organized than a Hollywood red carpet event?

Answer: A social structure and pecking order

Question: Which quirky stunts did Brookline, Massachusetts unveil in 2017 to send turkeys packing, complete with noise, umbrella pops, and even dog cameos?

Answer: Making noise, popping umbrellas, shouting, waving arms, squirting with a hose, using dogs, and fending off with a broom

Question: What sage advice did wildlife pros later dish out about not picking fights with these feisty birds?

Answer: Not to be aggressive

Question: By 2019, how much had the wild turkey population taken a nosedive since 2014, as if losing a round in a reality show?

Answer: Around 3%

Question: By 2019, what was the jaw-dropping percentage drop in wild turkey hunters since 2014—talk about fewer fans at the turkey fan club?

Answer: 18%

Question: Beyond being a delicious main course, how have humans creatively repurposed turkeys throughout history, from fashion runways to ancient rituals?

Answer: For their feathers and bones in practical and cultural contexts

Question: Which celebrated U.S. holiday turns turkeys into the ultimate celebrity guest at the dinner table?

Answer: Thanksgiving

Question: On which other festive occasion do turkeys crash the party and steal the spotlight like pop culture icons?

Answer: Christmas

Question: How do tamed turkeys strut their stuff when they feel they’re the top bird in the barnyard hierarchy?

Answer: They may attempt to dominate or attack

Question: In which U.S. locales did wild turkeys make an epic comeback, like a blockbuster sequel you didn’t see coming?

Answer: Minnesota and Vermont

Question: Back in the 17th century, how many wild turkeys were roaming the American wilds, as if starring in their own historical epic?

Answer: 10 million turkeys

Question: What grim double whammy—overhunting and habitat loss—wreaked havoc on wild turkey numbers by the 1930s?

Answer: Overhunting and habitat loss

Question: What status badge does the IUCN proudly pin on the wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) as it struts its stuff?

Answer: LC (Least Concern)

Question: How does the IUCN rate the ocellated turkey (Meleagris ocellata) in its report card of conservation coolness?

Answer: NT (Near Threatened)

Question: Where do wild turkeys call their natural mansion, mixing North American forests with a hint of tropical flair?

Answer: Forests of North America and the Yucatán Peninsula

Question: When danger lurks, how do wild turkeys make a daring getaway, proving they’re more than just a dinner ingredient?

Answer: They can fly up to a quarter mile or roost in trees

Question: What dark twist can pecking misadventures among turkeys lead to, turning feuds into a grim culinary tale?

Answer: Cannibalism

Question: How did the Mayans celebrate turkeys beyond the dinner table, giving them a VIP role in manuscripts and elite circles?

Answer: Appeared in Mayan manuscripts and were connected to aristocrats and priests

Question: Which key piece of survey data did the 2019 wild turkey report leave out, leaving some mystery in the feathered saga?

Answer: Population data from 12 states and hunter data from 8 states

Question: What is the everyday nickname for a turkey’s egg, making breakfast sound a little more exotic?

Answer: Turkey egg