A bird with some resemblance to the Thanksgiving avian, was imported from Madagascar through Turkey by traders known as turkey merchants. The guinea fowl was also nicknamed the turkey fowl. Then, the Spanish brought turkeys back from the Americas by way of North Africa and Turkey, where the bird was mistakenly called the same name. Europeans who encountered the bird in the Americas latched on to the turkey fowl name, and the term was condensed simply to turkey. Turkeys have fared better than their guinea fowl relatives on the international scene, perhaps explaining why you probably have never heard of guinea fowl until right now.
The Turkish name for the bird is hindi, which literally means Indian. This name likely derived from the common misconception that India and the New World were one and the same.
The turkeys acceptance into the Old World happened quickly. By 1575, the English were enjoying the North American bird at Christmas dinner.
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It's a great question angel. I will have to dig out the encyclopedias and also from the net. If you find the answer before I can, pls. sent it off to me.

Heres how they are related. In the 1540s, the guinea fowl, a bird with some resemblance to the Thanksgiving avian, was imported from Madagascar through Turkey by traders known as turkey merchants. The guinea fowl was also nicknamed the turkey fowl. Then, the Spanish brought turkeys back from the Americas by way of North Africa and Turkey, where the bird was mistakenly called the same name. Europeans who encountered the bird in the Americas latched on to the turkey fowl name, and the term was condensed simply to turkey. Turkeys have fared better than their guinea fowl relatives on the international scene, perhaps explaining why you probably have never heard of guinea fowl until right now.
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