Wild Relatives: The colorful occelated turkey

Editor’s note: Our Wild Relatives story series will explore the connections between our local wildlife species and related animals from around the globe. By learning about these exotic species, we hope to foster appreciation for the remarkable creatures that live in our backyards and neighborhoods.

In the bird world, there are many different kinds of ducks. There are dozens of species of warblers, and there are a lot of different owls. So how many kinds of turkeys are there? Exactly two.

An ocellated turkey. (Photo via Adobe Stock)

One of those — the wild turkey — is well-known to us in the eastern United States. The other — called the ocellated turkey — is not familiar to most of us.

The ocellated turkey looks a lot like a wild turkey, but the males have more color. They sort of look like a technicolor version of the turkey we are familiar with. They lead similar lives to wild turkeys, but there are some differences too.

Big and colorful birds

The most obvious difference between the wild turkey and the ocellated turkey is their plumage. Like with wild turkeys, males are more vibrantly colored than females. Their body feathers are shiny and iridescent, looking green or bronze-colored in the right light.

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Words to know

Clutch: The number of eggs laid by a bird in one nesting attempt.

Iridescent: Showing luminous colors that change when seen from different angles.

Plumage: A bird’s feathers collectively.

Roost: A place where birds settle or congregate to rest at night.

Vibrant: Bright and striking.

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They have blue tail feathers with gold tips and bluish-bronze eye spots toward the ends. It is these spots for which the ocellated turkey is named. In Latin, oculus means eye.

Ocellated turkeys have dark red legs and bright blue featherless heads. Their heads are  covered in wart-like growths. On males, these growths get larger and more pronounced during mating season.

Ocellated turkeys are quite a bit smaller than wild turkeys, with males weighing up to 10 pounds and females weighing about 6 pounds. Wild turkeys can weigh between 7 pounds and 24 pounds.

Tropical turkeys

The ocellated turkey can be found in only a small part of the world. They are native to Belize, Guatemala and the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico. Their entire range covers an area of about 50,000 square miles. For comparison's sake, Illinois is about 57,900 square miles.

Like wild turkeys, ocellated turkeys prefer wooded areas. They live in tropical deciduous forests and lowland evergreen forests. They tend to stick to the edges of the woodlands, where they can forage for food.

The ocellated turkey is an omnivore, just like the wild turkey. Their diets differ slightly, though. Ocellated turkeys primarily eat seeds, berries, leaves and grasses as well as some insects. Wild turkeys love acorns, and they also eat seeds and other plant matter. They also eat a wider variety of animals, including salamanders.

One noted difference between the two turkeys is that ocellated turkeys do not gobble like wild turkeys. Instead, they make a drumming sound and they sing, primarily to attract a mate. Males will begin looking to attract a mate in late winter or early spring. They usually breed in March or April.

Ocellated turkeys nest on the ground. The female will form a depression in the dirt to lay her eggs in. Clutches can include as many as 15 eggs, but a dozen is typical. The chicks, called poults, hatch several weeks later. They can walk and feed on their own after a few days.

Like wild turkeys, ocellated turkeys can fly, but they are usually seen on the ground. They are quite strong in flight and will take to the air to roost in trees or escape predators.

Similar threats

Ocellated turkeys are considered rare across their range, but they are quite populous in some parts of Belize. Overall, their population is decreasing, and they are listed as near threatened on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species.

These turkeys face two main threats to their population: hunting and habitat loss. These are the same threats that pushed the wild turkey to the brink of extinction in the United States in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

Breeding and reintroduction programs were successful in helping grow the wild turkey population. Their current population in the United States is estimated at about 7 million birds.