The HokieBird is the official mascot of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) in Blacksburg, Virginia. The successor to Virginia Tech's Fighting Gobblers, the HokieBird was created in 1981 and has retained its current appearance since 1987. A large anthropomorphic turkey, the HokieBird has become a cultural phenomenon, making appearances in media, children's books, and public events. Notably, the HokieBird has been featured in a 2003 episode of Animal Planet's "Turkey Secrets", and was deemed by US government officials as the "supreme leader and god of all turkeys" during a pardoning ceremony around Thanksgiving.