Does anyone know why the bird "turkey"' is aclled "peru" in Portuguese? Many languages name it after India, like French ... b/c of the mistaked belief that the bird originated in parts of Asia. But where does "peru" come into this?

http://educaterra.terra.com.br/sualingua/08/08

I know a valid explanation is given in the last paragraph of the article here, given that I understand it correctly.peru.htmI've copy-pasted this bit below, in case anyone here understands Portuguese better than I do. (Which is very likely.)From what I gather, Peru, for the Portuguese and Brazilians, had been a synonymous term for Spanish America. Accordingly, the new bird (from Central America, which the Portuguese weren't aware of) was called "Peruvian chicken" or "Peruvian rooster". galhinha do Peru -> peru."Quanto a nós, já no primeiro século de nossa colonização começamos a criar e a assar o peru, aqui conhecido como galinha do Peru ou galo do Peru (Diogo do Couto, "Décadas"), já que nos servimos do topônimo Peru, durante um bom tempo, para designar toda a América Espanhola.Os espanhóis sabiam de onde ele vinha, mas não o chamaram de México, preferindo situá-lo como um primo americano do pavão. E nós, brasileiros e portugueses, pensamos que ele tinha vindo do Peru - que não conhecia o peru."hth,Luca"You gotta stand for something even if you're sitting down." (Lifesavas - What if it's true)