Why Turkiye is called Turkey in English?

The origin of the name Turkey is Türkiye which means "the land of Turks"

Before explaining the relation between the country and the animal, i would like to write you about the origin of the word "turkey" and "turchia".

The original name of the country in its people's language is Türkiye which was called Turchia in Latin during medieval. The English version of this word was produced from that Latin version and became Turkey, meaning the land of Turks.

After 1500's this animal started diversifying the European dining tables with its new taste. It was well accepted as it had more meat and a nice taste and was easily adapted as a domestic animal. 

Although the origin of this bird was Mexico and had been brought to Europe by Portuguese explorers, the arrival of it to England was carried out by merchants who were generaly trading out from Eastern Mediterranean which was belonging to Turkish empire these days. Because of this people of England started calling this bird "Turkey bird" or "Turkey cock". 

I want to point out that England was the only country who was thinking that this animal was coming from Turkey. Because all the other European countries and even Turkey itself were thinking of it as a bird from more east.

In Turkey the bird turkey is called "hindi" which is origined from "Hindistan" that means "India". This misunderstanding was occured because this "hindi animal" started coming to our markets after Portuguese explorer Vasco de Gama's landing to India. 

Portuguese explorers brought them from Mexico