Ocellated Turkey

Meleagris ocellata

Well, last year I covered the Wild Turkey, so it seems fitting that for this Thanksgiving I write about its lesser known relative, the Ocellated Turkey. Did you know that they are the only two Turkey species in the entire world?

I wouldn't blame you if you had never heard of this bird until today. They have a very limited range and are not well studied. Ocellated Turkeys are found exclusively on the Yucatan peninsula, in a range that covers only about 50,000 square miles. They live in tropical forests, but enter more open habitats during the breeding season.

If placed side by side, it would be easy to tell the Ocellated Turkey apart from the Wild Turkey. They are smaller in size, but they are much more fanciful in color, sporting bronze and iridescent green plumage (though the males are of course more vibrant than the females). The diet of the Ocellated Turkey is quite varied. They are omnivores that feed on seeds, berries, nuts, and insects.

The species is threatened due to hunting and habitat loss. They are most vulnerable during the breeding season, as the birds enter areas that are more open in order to perform courtship displays.

IUCN Status : Near Threatened

Location : Mexico
Size : Weight up to 12lbs (5.4kg)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Aves -- Order : Galliformes
Family : Meleagrididae -- Genus : Meleagris -- Species : M. ocellata

Comments

Bornean Orangutan

The Bornean Orangutan is one of two extant Orangutan species in the world. It is the third largest primate (after Gorillas) and is the largest primarily tree-dwelling animal in the world. Males are substantially larger than females, and average at around 165lbs. Bornean Orangutans are largely solitary. A handful might live within a small range but they will seldom interact with one another. Males and females only meet up to breed, which happens only once every several years. A young Orangutan will stay with it's mother for about five years, and the females tend to go about eight years between births. That is the longest interim period of any animal! Sadly, the Bornean Orangutans are in a lot of trouble. They need large forests in order to thrive, and deforestation and habitat degradation has left many homeless. They are also hunted for meat and for traditional medicines. Conservation areas are being established to help these guys in the wild, and it is believed that there are a

Four!

For anyone who was counting, yesterday was our birthday-- four years! Four years filled with animals from A to Z, more than 1,100 of them! I can't thank my readers enough, it's been wonderful! And in celebration of that milestone... I'm taking a break. Hopefully not forever, but for a little bit at least. In the mean time I plan on getting a new layout out, along with some updates to some of the older articles. I'll post updates here and on the Facebook page, I'm also brainstorming some new animal-related projects, so keep an eye out! Thanks again for four awesome years!

Halloween Crab

Gecarcinus quadratus The Halloween Crab goes by many names, including the Red Land Crab, Whitespot Crab, and Moon Crab. I personally like Halloween Crab though, since it really reflects the interesting colors. They have black carapaces, orange-red legs, and purple claws! Halloween Crabs live in the Pacific coast mangroves and forests of Central and South America. They actually live in the forests as adults, and return to the ocean in order to reproduce. Did you know that they live as far away as 18 miles (30km) from water? Not where you normally think Crabs to be! While living in the forest, the Crabs forage nocturnally for different plant matter, including leaves and sapling. They also dig long burrows into the ground for protection. These burrows can measure nearly 5 ft long! Halloween Crabs are sometimes kept in captivity, and can be very tricky pets due to their excellent climbing skills. IUCN Status : Not Listed Location : Cent

Animal A Day!

Search This Blog