Why is turkey served for Thanksgiving?

There isn't a clear record explaining exactly why turkey is the traditional centerpiece of the contemporary Thanksgiving dinner. The most logical explanation is that wild turkeys are abundant along the eastern seaboard of the United States, making it a widely available food that could be portioned out to serve large quantities of people.

Though historic record isn't entirely clear about how and why turkey is the traditional meat of the American Thanksgiving dinner table, it is clear that this is an extremely popular tradition. According to the National Turkey Federation, it is estimated that 46 million turkeys were consumed on Thanksgiving in 2012, more than any other single day or holiday of the year.