The question of whether a hen is a turkey highlights the common confusion between a term for a bird’s gender and the name of a distinct species. This mix-up is frequent in poultry, where familiar words are used both broadly to describe biological sex and narrowly to refer to a specific animal. Understanding poultry terminology requires separating these two classifications: the species name and the universal biological term used to identify a mature female bird. Clarifying these distinctions allows for the accurate use of terms like “hen” across different fowl.
Clarifying the General Term “Hen”
The word “hen” is a biological term that denotes a mature female bird, irrespective of its species. It is a classification based purely on sex. This term applies across many different bird types, particularly those within the order Galliformes, which includes heavy-bodied, ground-feeding birds. A female chicken is a hen, but the term also applies to the female of a pheasant, quail, partridge, or grouse. The definition is a universal identifier for the adult female counterpart to a male bird, which is often called a rooster, cock, or tom, depending on the species.
Clarifying the Specific Species “Turkey”
The turkey is a distinct species of bird belonging to the genus Meleagris. There are two extant species: the wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) native to North America, and the ocellated turkey (Meleagris ocellata) found in Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula. Turkeys are classified within the family Phasianidae, which also includes pheasants and chickens.
The domestic turkey, the variety most people encounter, is descended from the wild turkey and was first domesticated approximately 2,000 years ago. Turkeys are characteristically large, heavy-bodied birds with a distinct, featherless head and neck often adorned with fleshy growths called caruncles and a snood.
Specific Terminology for Turkeys
A female turkey is called a hen, directly answering the core question by synthesizing the species name with the gender term. Female turkeys are generally smaller and less colorful than their male counterparts, often having a grayish head and a feathered neck.
The terminology for male turkeys is distinct, with an adult male being referred to as a tom or a gobbler, due to his characteristic vocalization. Young turkeys of either sex are called poults, a term commonly used for the young of various domestic fowl. This specific set of terms confirms that “hen” functions as the gender-specific identifier.
Turkeys Compared to Other Common Poultry
While both turkeys and chickens are classified within the same order, Galliformes, they belong to separate genera, Meleagris and Gallus, respectively. Turkeys are significantly larger than chickens, often outweighing the largest chicken by a considerable margin. The turkey’s head and neck are largely featherless and feature prominent snoods and wattles.
In contrast, the chicken’s head is feathered and typically has a prominent comb. These two species also exhibit different origins; the turkey originates in the Americas, and the chicken descends from the junglefowl of Southeast Asia.