Birds · Galliformes · Phasianidae

Ocellated Turkey

Meleagris ocellata

Near Threatened

It could become endangered in the near future if current threats go unchecked. See full glossary

The ocellated turkey is the second and last wild turkey in the world, endemic to the Yucatán Peninsula and adjoining parts of Guatemala and Belize. It is far more colourful than the wild turkey: an iridescent bronze and green body, a cobalt-blue head with orange warts and a grey tail tipped with the blue and gold eyespots that give it its name. Unlike the North American bird it was never domesticated. It is easy to see at archaeological sites such as Tikal and Calakmul.

Weight

3 kg – 5 kg

Size

70 cm – 90 cm

Lifespan

12 years

Diet

Omnivore

Combines animal and plant food depending on availability.

Activity

Diurnal

Active mainly during the day.

Sighting difficulty

Moderate

RainforestOmnivore Diurnal Near Threatened Bird Rainforest

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Fun facts

It is one of only two wild turkeys in the world, and the only one never domesticated: the turkey we eat descends from the other, the Mexican wild turkey.
The male does not gobble like the wild turkey: it gives a sequence of low thumps followed by a high, resonant crescendo, a sound heard at dawn among the Maya ruins of Yucatán and quite unlike its relative's.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (bird)
Habitat & environment: Moist and semi-moist forest and secondary woodland of the Yucatán Peninsula and the Petén
Sexual maturity: 12 months
Gestation / incubation: 28 days of incubation
Litter / clutch size: 10 eggs

Sources consulted: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meleagris_ocellata