# VT Alumni: What is a Hokie Bird, anyway? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 5, 2004, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vt-alumni-what-is-a-hokie-bird-anyway/232729 "2004-03-05T18:17:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2004, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vt-alumni-what-is-a-hokie-bird-anyway/232729/1 "2004-03-05T18:17:20Z")
Just wondering if a hokie bird is a real animal, and what is it closest to? Turkey? Turkey Vulture? I did a little Googling, but came up with no answers - just VT links. Also, are there any running myths, legends or jokes about the mascot? (On or off-campus) …And, why was it picked as a mascot initially? Inquiring minds want to know! - Jinx ---
**Author:** ![Cabbage](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@Cabbage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cabbage)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2004, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vt-alumni-what-is-a-hokie-bird-anyway/232729/2 "2004-03-05T18:27:58Z")
This site will tell you more than you probably ever wanted to know: [http://www.unirel.vt.edu/vthistory/hokie-explained.html](http://www.unirel.vt.edu/vthistory/hokie-explained.html) –Cabbage, VT class of '92 ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2004, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vt-alumni-what-is-a-hokie-bird-anyway/232729/3 "2004-03-05T18:42:24Z")
I spent seven years at the University of Vermont, and I never heard of the – what was it, “hokie bird”? Can you give us a little more background? ---
**Author:** ![Dignan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f07891/32.png) [@Dignan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dignan)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2004, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vt-alumni-what-is-a-hokie-bird-anyway/232729/4 "2004-03-05T19:34:46Z")
From what I remember from my days in the ESPN College Football chat room, the “Hokie” comes from an old cheer at the school. I think it went something like: Hokie, Hokie, Hokie Hi Tech Tech VPI! Sola Rex, Sola Ri That’s all I can remember. There is a turkey that plays into it somewhere, and I’ve heard the explanation before, and I remember thinking that it made sense when it was explained, but I really can’t remember the story. It is a turkey though. (Maybe it was a previous team name?) ---
**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2004, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vt-alumni-what-is-a-hokie-bird-anyway/232729/5 "2004-03-05T19:36:29Z")
“VT” isn’t “Vermont” in this instance, Brother, but “Virginia Tech” (aka “That cow-college in the western part of the state” (with apologies to Bear Bryant)). A “hokie” is a castrated turkey. There’s some difference of opinion as to whether the term came first, or the fight song, but “hokie” is generally accepted in the poultry industry now as being a butterball-less turkey. We did a thread about the around New Year’s, IIRC. ---
**Author:** ![Dignan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f07891/32.png) [@Dignan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dignan)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2004, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vt-alumni-what-is-a-hokie-bird-anyway/232729/6 "2004-03-05T19:40:27Z")
Well it was taking a while for Cabbage’s link to open (my slow computer), but it turns out I was pretty close. **plnnr** , Cabbage’s link clears up the myth that it is _not_ a castrated turkey. ---
**Author:** ![\_xiao\_wenti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/_/b782af/32.png) [@\_xiao\_wenti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/_xiao_wenti)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2004, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vt-alumni-what-is-a-hokie-bird-anyway/232729/7 "2004-03-06T14:50:15Z")
I was told that it was a meter word, Hokie, hokie, hokie-hai, We’re the men from VPI I’ve heard the castrated tom story as well. VPI&SU 83-90.