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. It is a relative of the North American
wild turkey (
Meleagris gallopavo), although is somewhat smaller. The body feathers of both sexes are a mixture of bronze and green
iridescent color, with neither sex possessing 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. These spots, or
ocelli (for which the ocellated turkey is named) have been likened to the patterning typically found on peafowl. This ocellated turkey was photographed near
Tikal in the Petén region of Guatemala.
Photograph credit: Charles J. Sharp