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{{short description|Species of turkey native to (Yucatan Peninsula) Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize}}
{{Short description|Species of turkey native to (Yucatan Peninsula) Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize}}
{{Inline citations|date=November 2024}}
{{speciesbox
{{Speciesbox
| name = Ocellated turkey
| name = Ocellated turkey
⚫
| image = Ocellated turkey (Meleagris ocellata) male Peten.jpg
⚫
| image_caption = Male, Peten, Guatemala
| status = NT
| status = NT
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| status_ref = <ref name="iucn status 19 November 2021">{{cite iucn |author=BirdLife International |date=2020 |title=''Meleagris ocellata'' |volume=2020 |page=e.T22679529A178204994 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T22679529A178204994.en |access-date=19 November 2021}}</ref>
| status_ref = <ref name="iucn status 19 November 2021">{{cite iucn |author=BirdLife International |date=2020 |title=''Meleagris ocellata'' |volume=2020 |page=e.T22679529A178204994 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T22679529A178204994.en |access-date=19 November 2021}}</ref>
⚫
| image = Ocellated turkey (Meleagris ocellata) male Peten.jpg
⚫
| image caption = male, Peten, Guatemala
| genus = Meleagris
| genus = Meleagris
| species = ocellata
| species = ocellata
Line 14: Line 15:
| synonyms = ''Agriocharis ocellata''
| synonyms = ''Agriocharis ocellata''
}}
}}
⚫
[[File:Ocellated turkey (Meleagris ocellata) Orange Walk 2.jpg|thumb|male; Orange Walk, Belize]]
⚫
The '''ocellated turkey''' ('''''Meleagris ocellata''''') is a species of [[turkey (bird)|turkey]] residing primarily in the [[Yucatán Peninsula]], [[Mexico]], as well as in parts of [[Belize]] and [[Guatemala]]. A relative of the North American [[wild turkey]] (''Meleagris gallopavo''), it was sometimes previously considered in a genus of its own (''Agriocharis''), but the differences between the two turkeys are currently considered too small to justify generic segregation. It is a relatively large [[bird]], at around {{convert|70|–|122|cm|in|abbr=on}} long and an average weight of {{convert|3|kg|lb|abbr=on}} in females and {{convert|5|kg|lb|abbr=on}} in males.


⚫
The '''ocellated turkey''' ('''''Meleagris ocellata''''') is a species of [[turkey (bird)|turkey]] residing primarily in the [[Yucatán Peninsula]], [[Mexico]], as well as in parts of [[Belize]] and [[Guatemala]].<ref name="iucn status 19 November 2021"/> A relative of the North American [[wild turkey]] (''Meleagris gallopavo''), it was sometimes previously considered in a genus of its own (''Agriocharis''), but the differences between the two turkeys are currently considered too small to justify generic segregation.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EAVPDgAAQBAJ&pg=PA135 |page=135 |title=The Archaeology of Mesoamerican Animals |author1=Kitty F. Emery |author2=Christopher M. Gotz |publisher=Lockwood Press |year=2013|isbn=978-1-937040-15-4 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |journal=Bulletin of the United States National Museum |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6gpLAQAAMAAJ&pg=RA1-PA458 |author=Robert Ridgway |title=Genus ''Agriocharis'' Chapman |page=458 |year=1941 |publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office}}</ref> It is a relatively large [[bird]], at around {{convert|70|–|122|cm|in|abbr=on}} long and an average weight of {{convert|3|kg|lb|abbr=on}} in females and {{convert|5|kg|lb|abbr=on}} in males.
⚫
The ocellated turkey lives only in a {{convert|130,000|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}} range in the Yucatán Peninsula in [[Mexico]]—which includes all or part the states of [[Quintana Roo]], [[Campeche]], [[Yucatán (state)|Yucatán]], [[Tabasco]], and [[Chiapas]]—as well as the northern and western parts of [[Belize]] and northern [[Guatemala]].


⚫
The ocellated turkey lives only in a {{convert|130,000|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}} range in the Yucatán Peninsula in [[Mexico]]—which includes all or part of the states of [[Quintana Roo]], [[Campeche]], [[Yucatán]], [[Tabasco]], and [[Chiapas]]—as well as the northern and western parts of [[Belize]] and northern [[Guatemala]].
⚫
The ocellated turkey was considered endangered by Mexican authorities as recently as 2002 and has been considered Near Threatened by the IUCN since 2009 (Kampichler et al. 2010). The species is believed to have experienced a decline in response to land use changes and higher than sustainable harvest by migrant workers and subsistence hunters living in the Yucatán Peninsula region of Central America. (Kampichler et al. 2010). A study conducted in the year 2011 indicated that the ocellated turkey made up a substantial amount of the diets of four prominent ethnic groups of the Yucatán Peninsula (Santos et al. 2012).

The ocellated turkey was considered endangered by Mexican authorities as recently as 2002<ref name="Kampichler et al. 2010"/> and has been considered Near Threatened by the IUCN since 2004.<ref name="iucn status 19 November 2021"/>

==Ecology==

⚫
The species is believed to have experienced a decline in response to land use changes and higher than sustainable harvest by migrant workers and [[subsistence hunters]] living in the Yucatán Peninsula region of Central America.<ref name="Kampichler et al. 2010"/> A study conducted in the year 2011 indicated that the ocellated turkey made up a substantial amount of the diets of four prominent ethnic groups of the Yucatán Peninsula.<ref name="Santos-Fita et al. 2012"/>


==Description==
==Description==
⚫
[[File:Ocellated turkey (Meleagris ocellata) male head Peten.jpg|thumb|left|upright|Closeup of a male]]
[[Image: Ocellated_Turkey.jpg |left|thumb| Chan Chich Lodge area, Belize: the ocellated turkey is named for the eye-shaped spots (ocelli) on its tail feathers.]]
[[File:Meleagris ocellata 1838.jpg|thumb|Painting by [[Nicolas Huet the Younger]]]]
⚫
The body feathers of both sexes are a mixture of bronze and green [[Iridescence|iridescent]] color. Although females can be duller with more green, the breast feathers do not generally differ and cannot be used to determine sex. Neither sex possesses the ''beard'' typically found in wild turkeys. Tail feathers of both sexes are bluish-grey with an eye-shaped, blue-bronze spot near the end with a bright gold tip. The spots, or ''ocelli'' (located on the tail), for which the ocellated turkey is named, have been likened to the patterning typically found on peafowl.<ref>James G. Dickson. ''The wild turkey: biology and management.'' National Wild Turkey Federation (U.S.), United States. Forest Service. Stackpole Books, 1992. {{ISBN|0-8117-1859-X}}</ref> The upper, major secondary wing [[covert (feather)|covert]]s are rich iridescent copper. The primary and secondary wing feathers have similar barring to that of North American turkeys, but the secondaries have more white, especially around the edges.


⚫
The body feathers of both sexes are a mixture of bronze and green [[Iridescence|iridescent]] color. Although females can be duller with more green, the breast feathers do not generally differ and cannot be used to determine sex. Neither sex possesses the "beard" typically found in wild turkeys. Tail feathers of both sexes are bluish-grey with an eye-shaped, blue-bronze spot near the end with a bright gold tip. The spots, or ''ocelli'' (located on the tail), for which the ocellated turkey is named, have been likened to the patterning typically found on peafowl.<ref>James G. Dickson. ''The Wild Turkey: Biology and Management''. National Wild Turkey Federation (U.S.), United States. Forest Service. Stackpole Books, 1992. {{ISBN|0-8117-1859-X}}.</ref> The upper, major secondary wing [[covert (feather)|covert]]s are rich iridescent copper. The primary and secondary wing feathers have similar barring to that of North American turkeys, but the secondaries have more white, especially around the edges.
⚫
Both sexes have blue heads with some orange or red [[Nodule (medicine)|nodules]], which are more pronounced on males. The males also have a fleshy blue crown covered with nodules, similar to those on the neck, behind the [[Comb (anatomy)|snood]]. During breeding season this crown swells up and becomes brighter and more pronounced in its yellow-orange color. The eye is surrounded by a ring of bright red skin, which is most visible on males during breeding season. The legs are deep red and are shorter and thinner than on North American turkeys. Males over one year old have spurs on the legs that average {{convert|4|cm|in|abbr=on}}, with lengths of over {{convert|6|cm|in|abbr=on}} being recorded. These spurs are much longer and thinner than on North American turkeys.


⚫
Both sexes have blue heads with some orange or red [[Nodule (medicine)|nodules]], which are more pronounced on males. The males also have a fleshy blue crown covered with nodules, similar to those on the neck, behind the [[Snood (anatomy)|snood]]. During breeding season this crown swells up and becomes brighter and more pronounced in its yellow-orange color. The eye is surrounded by a ring of bright red skin, which is most visible on males during breeding season. The legs are deep red and are shorter and thinner than on North American turkeys. Males over one year old have spurs on the legs that average {{convert|4|cm|in|abbr=on}}, with lengths of over {{convert|6|cm|in|abbr=on}} being recorded. These spurs are much longer and thinner than on North American turkeys.
⚫
Ocellated turkeys are much smaller than any of the subspecies of North American wild turkey, with adult hens weighing about {{convert|4|kg|lb|abbr=on}} before laying eggs and 3&nbsp;kg (6–7 pounds) the rest of the year, and adult males weighing about {{convert|5|–|6|kg|lb|abbr=on}} during breeding season.<ref name="Maurice 2002">Maurice & Robert Burton (2002). ''The International Wildlife Encyclopedia.'' 3rd edition. Marshall Cavendish Corporation, p. 2786. {{ISBN|0-7614-7274-6}}.</ref>

⚫
Ocellated turkeys are much smaller than any of the subspecies of North American wild turkey, with adult hens weighing about {{convert|4|kg|lb|abbr=on}} before laying eggs and 3&nbsp;kg (6–7 pounds) the rest of the year, and adult males weighing about {{convert|5|–|6|kg|lb|abbr=on}} during breeding season.<ref name="Maurice 2002">Maurice & Robert Burton (2002). ''The International Wildlife Encyclopedia''. 3rd edition. Marshall Cavendish Corporation, p. 2786. {{ISBN|0-7614-7274-6}}.</ref>

⚫
[[Bird vocalization|Vocalizations]] of the hen ocellated turkeys are similar to those of their northern relatives, however the male vocalization known as a "gobble" is quite different in comparison. The gobble begins with several low frequency "thumps", much like the sound of a small [[Internal combustion engine|gasoline motor]] starting. As the tempo of thumps increases, the typical gobble is produced.<ref name="Gonzalez et al. 1998"/> Branton and Berryhill (2007)<ref name="Branton and Berryhill 2007"/> have observed that the male ocellated turkey does not gobble ''per se'' like the wild turkey. Rather, his song is distinct and includes some six to seven [[Bongo drum|bongo]]-like bass tones which quicken in both cadence and volume until a crescendo is reached whereupon the bird's head is fully erect while he issues forth a rather high-pitched but melodious series of chops. The ocellated turkey will typically begin his singing 20 to 25 minutes before [[sunrise]]—similar to the wild turkey.


==Behavior==
==Behavior==
[[File:Ocellated Turkey (Meleagris ocellata) taking off - Calakmul Biosphere Reserve.jpg|thumb|left|[[Bird flight|In flight]]]]
[[File:Ocellated Turkey (Agriocharis ocellata) - Coba Archeological Zone QR 2020 06.jpg|thumb|left|[[Foraging]] near [[Coba|Nohoch Mul pyramid]]]]


Turkeys spend most of the time on the ground and often prefer to run to escape danger through the day rather than fly, though they can fly swiftly and powerfully for short distances as the majority of birds in this order do when necessary. Roosting is usually high in trees away from night-hunting predators, such as [[jaguar]]s, and usually in a family group.
Turkeys spend most of the time on the ground and during the day, they often prefer running to escape danger rather than taking off, though they can fly swiftly and powerfully for short distances when necessary, as typical of [[gamebird]]s. [[Roosting]] is usually high in trees away from [[Nocturnality|night-hunting]] predators, such as [[jaguar]]s, and usually in a family group.


The ocellated turkey is a generalist in terms of its feeding habits. They are known to feed on a wide variety of forage including but not limited to insects, such as beetles, moths, and leafcutter ants, grass seeds, nuts, and leaves (Sugihara and Heston 1981). The feeding rates of male ocellated turkeys have been observed to be significantly higher during January before the breeding season begins than when the breeding season is in full swing (Sugihara and Heston 1981). Prior to the breeding season, adult male turkeys have been observed in flocks usually no larger than three mature birds, whereas flocks of eight or more birds consisted of yearling turkeys and hens (Sugihara and Heston 1981).
The ocellated turkey is a [[Generalist and specialist species|generalist]] in terms of its feeding habits. They are known to feed on a wide variety of forage including but not limited to insects, such as [[beetle]]s, [[moth]]s, and [[leafcutter ant]]s, [[grass seed]]s, nuts, and leaves.<ref name="Sugihara and Heston 1981"/> The feeding rates of male ocellated turkeys have been observed to be significantly higher during January before the breeding season begins than when the breeding season is in full swing. Prior to the breeding season, adult male turkeys have been observed in flocks usually no larger than three mature birds, whereas flocks of eight or more birds consisted of [[wiktionary:yearling#Noun|yearling]] turkeys and hens.<ref name="Sugihara and Heston 1981"/>


The breeding season for the ocellated turkey begins in early February when the first gobbles are heard. The breeding season peaks in March and comes to an end by the end of April. Male ocellated turkeys engage in an elaborate, spirited display to attract females (Gonzalez et al. 1998). Ocellated turkeys use their tail fans just like North American subspecies of turkeys do; however, there are several distinct differences between the display of the ocellated and their North American cousins. Male turkeys begin the mating dance by tapping their feet against the ground in rapid succession. Next, the male birds move their tail feathers from side to side while quickly vibrating their wings and dragging the tips of them against the ground. As the male does this dance, he moves around the female making sure the dorsal surface of the tail feathers are constantly in view of the female (Gonzalez et al. 1998). Ocellated turkey poults hatch in May through July after a 28-day incubation period. Female ocellated turkeys lay 8–15 eggs in a well concealed nest on the ground. The poults are covered in a reddish brown juvenile plumage which allows them to blend into their surroundings to hide from predators. The young are [[precocial]] and able to leave the nest after one night. They then follow their mother until they reach young adulthood when they begin to range though often re-grouping to roost.<ref name="Maurice 2002"/>
The [[breeding season]] for the ocellated turkey begins in early February when the first gobbles are heard. The breeding season peaks in March and comes to an end by the end of April. Male ocellated turkeys engage in an elaborate, spirited display to attract females.<ref name="Gonzalez et al. 1998"/> Ocellated turkeys use their tail fans similar to North American turkeys; however, there are several distinct differences between the display of the ocellated and their North American cousins. Male turkeys begin the mating dance by tapping their feet against the ground in rapid succession. Next, the male birds move their tail feathers from side to side while quickly vibrating their wings and dragging the tips of them against the ground. As the male does this dance, he moves around the female making sure the dorsal surface of the tail feathers are constantly in view of the female.<ref name="Gonzalez et al. 1998"/>


Female ocellated turkeys lay 8–15 eggs in a well concealed nest on the ground. The poults hatch in May through July after a 28-day incubation period. The poults are covered in a reddish brown juvenile plumage which allows them to blend into their surroundings to hide from predators. The young are [[precocial]] and able to leave the nest after one night. They then follow their mother until they reach young adulthood when they begin to range though often re-grouping to roost.<ref name="Maurice 2002"/>
⚫
Vocalizations of the hen ocellated turkeys are similar to those of their northern relatives, however the male vocalization known as a “gobble” is quite different in comparison. The gobble begins with several low frequency "thumps", much like the sound of a small gasoline motor starting. As the tempo of thumps increases, the typical gobble is produced" (Gonzalez et al. 1998). Branton and Berryhill (2007) have observed that the male ocellated turkey does not gobble ''per se'' like the wild turkey. Rather, his song is distinct and includes some six to seven bongo-like bass tones which quicken in both cadence and volume until a crescendo is reached whereupon the bird's head is fully erect while he issues forth a rather high-pitched but melodious series of chops. The ocellated turkey will typically begin his singing 20 to 25 minutes before sunrise—similar to the wild turkey.

==In culture==
The [[Maya peoples|Mayans]] (who call it ''kuuts'' or ''yuum kuuts'') have a story where the turkey's feathers were given to him by the [[nightjar]] who vouched for him to be anointed king of the birds by the [[Maya religion#Deities|Great Ancestor (''Nohochacyum'')]] in return for a reward. As the turkey completely forgot what he owed the nightjar, the latter complained to Nohochacyum who punished the former by changing his once-melodious voice to guttural thumps. It is associated with water, rain (especially through the deity [[Chaac|Chaak]]) and fecundity; tribes like the [[Chʼortiʼ people|Chʼortiʼ]] once offered its blood across their fields in hopes of a good harvest.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Pigott |first1=Charles M. |title=Writing the Land, Writing Humanity: The Maya Literary Renaissance |date=2020 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-000-05430-9 |pages=113–5 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PkjWDwAAQBAJ&dq=Meleagris+ocellata+%22kuuts%22&pg=PT113 }}</ref> Its carcasses were also offered to use by Mayan chiefs, even found in their tombs.<ref>{{cite journal|title=The Ocellated Turkey in Maya Thought |journal=The PARI Journal|publisher= The Pre-Columbian Art Research Institute|volume=16|issue=4|pages=16–9|date=2016 |first1=Ana Luisa|last1=Izquierdo y de La Cueva|first2= María Elena |last2=Vega Villalobos|url=https://www.mesoweb.com/pari/publications/journal/1604/OcellatedTurkey.pdf}}</ref>


==References==
==References==
{{Reflist|refs=
<references/>
⚫
<ref name="Branton and Berryhill 2007">Branton, Scott and Ray Berryhill (2007). ''Pavo! Pavo! The Odyssey of Ocellated Turkey Hunting''. Mississippi State, Miss.: Branton Berryhill Publishers. {{ISBN|0967125944}}</ref>


<ref name="Gonzalez et al. 1998">{{cite journal |last1=Gonzalez |first1=Maria Jose |last2=Quigley |first2=Howard B. |last3=Taylor |first3=Curtis I. |title=Habitat use and reproductive ecology of the ocellated turkey in Tikal National Park, Guatemala |journal=Wilson Bulletin |date=1998 |volume=110 |issue=4 |pages=505–510 |url=https://sora.unm.edu/sites/default/files/journals/wilson/v110n04/p0505-p0510.pdf |jstor=4163999 }}</ref>
==Footnotes==

*Gonzalez, Maria J., Howard B. Quigley, and Curtis I. Taylor. "Habitat use and Reproductive Ecology of the Ocellated Turkey in Tikal National Park, Guatemala." ''The Wilson Bulletin'', vol. 110, no. 4, 1998, pp.&nbsp;505.
<ref name="Kampichler et al. 2010">{{cite journal |last1=Kampichler |first1=Christian |last2=Calmé |first2=Sophie |last3=Weissenberger |first3=Holger |last4=Arriaga-Weiss |first4=Stefan Louis |title=Indication of a species in an extinction vortex: The ocellated turkey on the Yucatan peninsula, Mexico |journal=Acta Oecologica |date=2010 |volume=36 |issue=6 |pages=561–568 |doi=10.1016/j.actao.2010.08.004|bibcode=2010AcO....36..561K }}</ref>
*Kampichler, Christian, et al. “Indication of a Species in an Extinction Vortex: The Ocellated Turkey on the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico.” ''Acta Oecologica'', vol. 36, no. 6, 2010, pp.&nbsp;561–568.

*Santos-Fita, D., EJ Naranjo, and JL Rangel-Salazar. "Wildlife Uses and Hunting Patterns in Rural Communities of the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico." Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine, vol. 8, no. 1, 2012, pp.&nbsp;38–38.
<ref name="Santos-Fita et al. 2012">{{cite journal |last1=Santos-Fita |first1=Dídac |last2=Naranjo |first2=Eduardo J |last3=Rangel-Salazar |first3=José Luis |title=Wildlife uses and hunting patterns in rural communities of the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico |journal=Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine |date=2012 |volume=8 |issue=1 |page=38 |doi=10.1186/1746-4269-8-38 |doi-access=free|pmid=23031274 |pmc=3508864 }}</ref>
*Sugihara, George and Katherine Heston. "Field Notes on Winter Flocks of the Ocellated Turkey (Agriocharis Ocellata)." ''The Auk'', vol. 98, no. 2, 1981, pp.&nbsp;396–398.

⚫
*Branton, Scott and Ray Berryhill (2007). ''Pavo! Pavo! The Odyssey of Ocellated Turkey Hunting''. Mississippi State, Miss.: Branton Berryhill Publishers. {{ISBN|0967125944}}.
<ref name="Sugihara and Heston 1981">{{cite journal |last1=Sugihara |first1=George |last2=Heston |first2=Katherine |title=Field notes on winter flocks of the ocellated turkey (''Agriocharis ocellata'') |journal=The Auk |date=1981 |volume=98 |issue=2 |pages=396–398 |doi=10.1093/auk/98.2.396 |doi-broken-date=1 December 2024 |jstor=4086084 }}</ref>
}}


==External links==
==External links==
{{Commons|Meleagris ocellata}}
{{Commons|Meleagris ocellata}}
{{wikispecies|Meleagris ocellata}}

* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060629070536/http://www.arkive.org/species/GES/birds/Meleagris_ocellata/ Images and movies of the ocellated turkey ''(Meleagris ocellata)'']—ARKive
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060629070536/http://www.arkive.org/species/GES/birds/Meleagris_ocellata/ Images and movies of the ocellated turkey ''(Meleagris ocellata)'']—ARKive
* [http://ibc.lynxeds.com/species/ocellated-turkey-meleagris-ocellata Ocellated turkey videos, photos & sounds] on the Internet Bird Collection
* [https://search.macaulaylibrary.org/catalog?taxonCode=ocetur1 Ocellated turkey videos, photos & sounds] on Cornell Lab Macaulay Wildlife Media Archive


{{Phasianidae|state=all}}
{{Phasianidae|state=all}}
{{Birds}}
<!-- extirpated in Chiapas and eastern Tabasco? -->
{{Taxonbar|from=Q94601}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q94601}}
{{Authority control}}


[[Category:Meleagris|Ocellated turkey]]
[[Category:Meleagris]]
[[Category:Birds of Belize]]
[[Category:Birds of Belize]]
[[Category:Birds of Guatemala]]
[[Category:Birds of Guatemala]]
[[Category:Birds of the Yucatán Peninsula]]
[[Category:Birds of the Yucatán Peninsula]]
[[Category:Game birds|ocellated turkey]]
[[Category:Game birds]]
[[Category:Near threatened biota of Mexico|Ocellated turkey]]
[[Category:Near threatened biota of Mexico]]
[[Category:Near threatened fauna of North America|Ocellated turkey]]
[[Category:Near threatened fauna of North America]]
[[Category:Birds described in 1820|ocellated turkey]]
[[Category:Birds described in 1820]]
[[Category:Taxa named by Georges Cuvier|ocellated turkey]]
[[Category:Taxa named by Georges Cuvier]]

Latest revision as of 16:29, 2 December 2024

Ocellated turkey
Male, Peten, Guatemala
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Galliformes
Family: Phasianidae
Genus: Meleagris
Species:
M. ocellata
Binomial name
Meleagris ocellata
Cuvier, 1820
Approximate distribution
Synonyms

Agriocharis ocellata

The ocellated turkey (Meleagris ocellata) is a species of turkey residing primarily in the Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico, as well as in parts of Belize and Guatemala.[1] A relative of the North American wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo), it was sometimes previously considered in a genus of its own (Agriocharis), but the differences between the two turkeys are currently considered too small to justify generic segregation.[2][3] It is a relatively large bird, at around 70–122 cm (28–48 in) long and an average weight of 3 kg (6.6 lb) in females and 5 kg (11 lb) in males.

The ocellated turkey lives only in a 130,000 km2 (50,000 sq mi) range in the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico—which includes all or part of the states of Quintana Roo, Campeche, Yucatán, Tabasco, and Chiapas—as well as the northern and western parts of Belize and northern Guatemala.

The ocellated turkey was considered endangered by Mexican authorities as recently as 2002[4] and has been considered Near Threatened by the IUCN since 2004.[1]

Ecology

[edit]

The species is believed to have experienced a decline in response to land use changes and higher than sustainable harvest by migrant workers and subsistence hunters living in the Yucatán Peninsula region of Central America.[4] A study conducted in the year 2011 indicated that the ocellated turkey made up a substantial amount of the diets of four prominent ethnic groups of the Yucatán Peninsula.[5]

Description

[edit]
Closeup of a male

The body feathers of both sexes are a mixture of bronze and green iridescent color. Although females can be duller with more green, the breast feathers do not generally differ and cannot be used to determine sex. Neither sex possesses the "beard" typically found in wild turkeys. Tail feathers of both sexes are bluish-grey with an eye-shaped, blue-bronze spot near the end with a bright gold tip. The spots, or ocelli (located on the tail), for which the ocellated turkey is named, have been likened to the patterning typically found on peafowl.[6] The upper, major secondary wing coverts are rich iridescent copper. The primary and secondary wing feathers have similar barring to that of North American turkeys, but the secondaries have more white, especially around the edges.

Both sexes have blue heads with some orange or red nodules, which are more pronounced on males. The males also have a fleshy blue crown covered with nodules, similar to those on the neck, behind the snood. During breeding season this crown swells up and becomes brighter and more pronounced in its yellow-orange color. The eye is surrounded by a ring of bright red skin, which is most visible on males during breeding season. The legs are deep red and are shorter and thinner than on North American turkeys. Males over one year old have spurs on the legs that average 4 cm (1.6 in), with lengths of over 6 cm (2.4 in) being recorded. These spurs are much longer and thinner than on North American turkeys.

Ocellated turkeys are much smaller than any of the subspecies of North American wild turkey, with adult hens weighing about 4 kg (8.8 lb) before laying eggs and 3 kg (6–7 pounds) the rest of the year, and adult males weighing about 5–6 kg (11–13 lb) during breeding season.[7]

Vocalizations of the hen ocellated turkeys are similar to those of their northern relatives, however the male vocalization known as a "gobble" is quite different in comparison. The gobble begins with several low frequency "thumps", much like the sound of a small gasoline motor starting. As the tempo of thumps increases, the typical gobble is produced.[8] Branton and Berryhill (2007)[9] have observed that the male ocellated turkey does not gobble per se like the wild turkey. Rather, his song is distinct and includes some six to seven bongo-like bass tones which quicken in both cadence and volume until a crescendo is reached whereupon the bird's head is fully erect while he issues forth a rather high-pitched but melodious series of chops. The ocellated turkey will typically begin his singing 20 to 25 minutes before sunrise—similar to the wild turkey.

Behavior

[edit]
In flight
Foraging near Nohoch Mul pyramid

Turkeys spend most of the time on the ground and during the day, they often prefer running to escape danger rather than taking off, though they can fly swiftly and powerfully for short distances when necessary, as typical of gamebirds. Roosting is usually high in trees away from night-hunting predators, such as jaguars, and usually in a family group.

The ocellated turkey is a generalist in terms of its feeding habits. They are known to feed on a wide variety of forage including but not limited to insects, such as beetles, moths, and leafcutter ants, grass seeds, nuts, and leaves.[10] The feeding rates of male ocellated turkeys have been observed to be significantly higher during January before the breeding season begins than when the breeding season is in full swing. Prior to the breeding season, adult male turkeys have been observed in flocks usually no larger than three mature birds, whereas flocks of eight or more birds consisted of yearling turkeys and hens.[10]

The breeding season for the ocellated turkey begins in early February when the first gobbles are heard. The breeding season peaks in March and comes to an end by the end of April. Male ocellated turkeys engage in an elaborate, spirited display to attract females.[8] Ocellated turkeys use their tail fans similar to North American turkeys; however, there are several distinct differences between the display of the ocellated and their North American cousins. Male turkeys begin the mating dance by tapping their feet against the ground in rapid succession. Next, the male birds move their tail feathers from side to side while quickly vibrating their wings and dragging the tips of them against the ground. As the male does this dance, he moves around the female making sure the dorsal surface of the tail feathers are constantly in view of the female.[8]

Female ocellated turkeys lay 8–15 eggs in a well concealed nest on the ground. The poults hatch in May through July after a 28-day incubation period. The poults are covered in a reddish brown juvenile plumage which allows them to blend into their surroundings to hide from predators. The young are precocial and able to leave the nest after one night. They then follow their mother until they reach young adulthood when they begin to range though often re-grouping to roost.[7]

In culture

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The Mayans (who call it kuuts or yuum kuuts) have a story where the turkey's feathers were given to him by the nightjar who vouched for him to be anointed king of the birds by the Great Ancestor (Nohochacyum) in return for a reward. As the turkey completely forgot what he owed the nightjar, the latter complained to Nohochacyum who punished the former by changing his once-melodious voice to guttural thumps. It is associated with water, rain (especially through the deity Chaak) and fecundity; tribes like the Chʼortiʼ once offered its blood across their fields in hopes of a good harvest.[11] Its carcasses were also offered to use by Mayan chiefs, even found in their tombs.[12]

References

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  1. ^ a b c BirdLife International (2020). "Meleagris ocellata". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T22679529A178204994. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T22679529A178204994.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  2. ^ Kitty F. Emery; Christopher M. Gotz (2013). The Archaeology of Mesoamerican Animals. Lockwood Press. p. 135. ISBN 978-1-937040-15-4.
  3. ^ Robert Ridgway (1941). "Genus Agriocharis Chapman". Bulletin of the United States National Museum. U.S. Government Printing Office: 458.
  4. ^ a b Kampichler, Christian; Calmé, Sophie; Weissenberger, Holger; Arriaga-Weiss, Stefan Louis (2010). "Indication of a species in an extinction vortex: The ocellated turkey on the Yucatan peninsula, Mexico". Acta Oecologica. 36 (6): 561–568. Bibcode:2010AcO....36..561K. doi:10.1016/j.actao.2010.08.004.
  5. ^ Santos-Fita, Dídac; Naranjo, Eduardo J; Rangel-Salazar, José Luis (2012). "Wildlife uses and hunting patterns in rural communities of the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico". Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine. 8 (1): 38. doi:10.1186/1746-4269-8-38. PMC 3508864. PMID 23031274.
  6. ^ James G. Dickson. The Wild Turkey: Biology and Management. National Wild Turkey Federation (U.S.), United States. Forest Service. Stackpole Books, 1992. ISBN 0-8117-1859-X.
  7. ^ a b Maurice & Robert Burton (2002). The International Wildlife Encyclopedia. 3rd edition. Marshall Cavendish Corporation, p. 2786. ISBN 0-7614-7274-6.
  8. ^ a b c Gonzalez, Maria Jose; Quigley, Howard B.; Taylor, Curtis I. (1998). "Habitat use and reproductive ecology of the ocellated turkey in Tikal National Park, Guatemala" (PDF). Wilson Bulletin. 110 (4): 505–510. JSTOR 4163999.
  9. ^ Branton, Scott and Ray Berryhill (2007). Pavo! Pavo! The Odyssey of Ocellated Turkey Hunting. Mississippi State, Miss.: Branton Berryhill Publishers. ISBN 0967125944
  10. ^ a b Sugihara, George; Heston, Katherine (1981). "Field notes on winter flocks of the ocellated turkey (Agriocharis ocellata)". The Auk. 98 (2): 396–398. doi:10.1093/auk/98.2.396 (inactive 1 December 2024). JSTOR 4086084.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of December 2024 (link)
  11. ^ Pigott, Charles M. (2020). Writing the Land, Writing Humanity: The Maya Literary Renaissance. Routledge. pp. 113–5. ISBN 978-1-000-05430-9.
  12. ^ Izquierdo y de La Cueva, Ana Luisa; Vega Villalobos, María Elena (2016). "The Ocellated Turkey in Maya Thought" (PDF). The PARI Journal. 16 (4). The Pre-Columbian Art Research Institute: 16–9.
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