Proceed with caution if you have alektorophobia: March 19th is National Poultry Day.

Alektorophobia is an intense fear of chickens, roosters or hens. Fortunately, it’s one of the more rare phobias. So our guess is that everyone reading this article can do so in comfort.

Evidently, many people give a cluck: There are 48+ annual holidays celebrating chickens, turkeys, ducks, and other fowl. See them all below.

> The history of chickens.

> The history of turkeys.

> The history of ducks is below.

> The parts of a chicken: How many different cuts can you name?

> Chicken glossary: a compilation with photos of types of chicken, chicken parts, industry terms…everything chicken.

> The most popular poultry dishes in America (below).

> Poultry etymology (below).
 
 
WHAT DISTINGUISHES POULTRY FROM OTHER MEATS?

Poultry is distinguished from other types of meat in several ways:

 
 
THE MOST POPULAR POULTRY DISHES IN THE U.S.

Chicken is by far the most consumed poultry in the U.S., with turkey coming in second, followed by duck and other specialty birds‡ in much smaller quantities.

These dishes should be no surprise (rankings may vary by region):

 
 
POULTRY ETYMOLOGY

How did these popular foods get their names?

Fowl is a general term that refers to all poultry. It includes domesticated birds kept for their eggs, meat, or feathers. The word comes from Old English “fugol,” meaning bird.

Fowl can also to refer to birds in general, especially game birds, although in modern usage it’s most commonly associated with domesticated poultry.

Poultry derives from Old French pouleterie, which in turn comes from poulet meaning chicken or young fowl; and before then, from the Latin pullus, meaning young animal or young fowl.

The “-try” suffix indicates a class of animals.

Chicken comes from Old English ċicen or cycen, meaning young fowl; it evolved from Proto-Germanic *kiukīną, which referred to roosters and chickens. The word originally referred specifically to young chickens, but later expanded to include the species at any age.

Turkey got its name based on a geographical misunderstanding. When European settlers encountered these birds in the Americas (where they originated), they mistakenly believed they were related to guinea fowl. The latter were sometimes called “Turkey fowl” because they were imported to Europe through Turkey

In Turkish, the bird is called “hindi” (meaning “from India”), another geographical misunderstanding [source: Claude.ai 2025-03-16].
 
 
THE HISTORY OF DUCKS

Ducks evolved from ancient waterfowl ancestors, with fossil evidence suggesting their lineage dates back to the Cretaceous period, more than 65 million years ago.

The earliest known modern duck ancestors appeared during the Oligocene epoch, around 30 million years ago.

These early ancestors gradually developed the distinctive features we associate with ducks today, including webbed feet, water-resistant feathers, and broad bills.

Wild ducks naturally inhabit every continent except Antarctica.

Humans began domesticating ducks some 4,000-5,000 years ago, with evidence suggesting that the mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) was first domesticated in China.

Archaeological findings indicate duck domestication also occurred independently in several regions, including Southeast Asia and possibly parts of Europe.

Early domestication focused on selecting ducks for meat and egg production, as well as for their feathers. As humans migrated across the globe, they often brought domesticated ducks with them.

The mallard (photo #12) is considered the ancestor of most of the domestic duck breeds we know today.

Today, there are approximately 120 different species of ducks found worldwide, each adapted to a specific ecological niche.

The mallard remains the most widespread and recognizable duck species globally, and has been introduced to regions well beyond its native range [source: Claude.ai 2025-03-19].

[1] Fried chicken is America’s favorite chicken dish (photo © Volpi Foods).

[2] The runner up is chicken wings, here shown Buffalo-style (photo © Nadine Primeau | Unsplash).

[3] You don’t have to wait for the holidays to enjoy roast turkey (photo © Gelson’s Markets).

[4] Roast chicken (photo © Cisco Lin | Unsplash).

[5] Perhaps the messiest to eat: barbecue chicken (photo © Mike’s Hot Honey).

[6] A grilled chicken sandwich. Many chicken sandwiches use a fried breast (photo © The Nibble | DALL-E 2025-03-16).

[7] Chicken Parm, a.k.a. Parmesan, a.k.a. Parmigiana (photo © Osteria Accadamia NYC).

[8] Grilled chicken breast (photo © Elena Leya | Unsplash).

[9] Chicken pot pie, a true comfort food (photo © M. Sheldrake | Dreamstime).

[10] Chicken fajitas. Don’t forget the guacamole (photo © Taste Of Home)!

[11] Most chicken salad is pretty boring: just chicken, mayo, and celery. But this recipe rocks, with dried cranberries and pistachios (photo © Lovely Little Kitchen).

[12] The mallard, ancestor of most of today’s duck breeds (photo © Christian Papaux | Unsplash).

†National Chicken Little Awareness Day is an annual celebration of a folk tale about the chicken constantly thinks the world is coming to an end because acorns keep falling on his head.

‡National Dance Like A Chicken Day is meant to encourage the Chicken Dance without waiting for a prom, wedding, or other occasion.

‡‡What is game meat? Game meats refer to the flesh of wild animals that are hunted for food rather than raised on farms. Some game meats are domesticated (raised on farms) and are indicated with an asterisk*. Common game meats include:

Large Game: antelope*, bison, caribou/reindeer*, deer (venison)*, elk*, emu*, moose, wild boar*, yak*.

Small Game: hare, rabbit*, squirrel.

Game Birds: duck*, goose, grouse, guinea fowl*, ostrich*, partridge*, pheasant*, quail*, wild turkey*, woodcock.

>Exotic Game: alligator: bear, beaver, kangaroo*, ostrich.
 
 

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