Both male and female Ocellated Turkeys have iridescent bronze-green body feathers, but the males are more vibrantly colored. These turkeys are smaller compared to any North American Wild Turkey subspecies, with adult females weighing around 8 pounds before they lay eggs.

The Ocellated Turkey has a limited habitat compared to its northern counterpart. It can only be found in a small region measuring 50,000 square miles, which covers the Yucatán Peninsula range. This area includes Quintana Roo, Campeche, and Yucatan states, as well as certain parts of northeastern Chiapas and southern Tabasco.

The feathered creature has a preference for concealing itself within the dense greenery, even though its stunningly vibrant feathers would catch anyone’s attention.

Ocellated turkeys prefer to hang out in small clusters while searching for food under dense foliage in forested and bushy regions. Nonetheless, they may wander into open spaces and nearby farmlands. Their preferred cuisine includes seeds, berries, insects, and leaves.

The lady Ocellated Turkeys are known to lay a moderate-sized batch of 8 to 15 eggs in a perfectly-hidden nest on the soil. These eggs take about 28 days to hatch and the little ones that emerge are precocious enough to relocate from the nest after just one night. Once this is done, they follow their mother around until they attain young adulthood, at which point they start to wander but still regroup at times to settle for the night. Interestingly, the male Ocellated Turkey makes the same “Gobbling” noise as the northern species during the breeding season while the female bird makes the distinct “clucking” sound.

Regrettably, the habitat of the ocellated turkey is under threat due to extensive logging and traditional slash-and-burn farming in Central America. This destruction is happening at an alarming rate and jeopardizes the future existence of this magnificent bird.

Feel free to observe the turkey in this video that is accessible for your viewing pleasure.