Turkey Sub Species..

The Ocellated Turkey Agriocharis ocellata is endemic to the Yucatan Penninsula of Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize. It inhabits tropical deciduous forests and tropical lowland evergreen forest edges. It can be easily found at Tikal, Guatemala, but appears to be declining outside of established forest reserves (Parker et al. 1996)





The eastern wild turkey (M. gallopavo silvestris) is the most abundant and most heavily hunted of the five subspecies. It is found throughout most of the eastern United States. Its population is increasing because of introductions, such as those in the Pacific Northwest and North Dakota. It has a copper-bronze sheen, and its tail has a chocolate-brown tip.




Merriam’s wild turkey (M. gallopavo rnerriarni) is found in much of the western United States, from Montana to Arizona. It is the most adaptable of the five subspecies, and its numbers and range have grown due to stocking efforts. It has a purplish bronze sheen, and a buff-tipped tail




The Rio Grande wild turkey (M. gallopavo interrnedia) is an open-country bird found primarily in the south-central United States from Nebraska through Texas and into Mexico. Its range has expanded westward thanks to stocking efforts. The overall body sheen is a pale copper, and the tail has a yellowish tip.




The Florida wild turkey or Osceola (M. gallopavo osceola) is found only in Florida, and has a relatively small, stable population. It is similar in appearance to the eastern wild turkey, but has darker wings and an iridescent, greenish gold body color. It may hybridize with the eastern turkey, where the ranges of the two subspecies overlap.




Gould’s wild turkey (M. gallopavo mexicana) is found in extreme southern Arizona and New Mexico and into northern Mexico. It resembles the Merriam’s subspecies, but has a bluish green sheen and a white-tipped tail. The population is stable.