Peacocks and turkeys – two of the most iconic birds, yet often confused for one another But are they really that closely related? Let’s examine the facts
Taxonomy – Same Family, Distant Cousins
Peafowl and turkeys belong to the same biological family of Phasianidae, which encompasses pheasants, partridges, quails and other gamebirds. However, within this large family, recent research indicates peafowl and turkeys are only distant cousins.
Peafowl belong to the Pavoninae subfamily, which also includes argus pheasants and Congo peacocks. In contrast, turkeys belong to the Meleagridinae subfamily, which includes grouses and ptarmigans These two subfamilies diverged over 20 million years ago.
So while peafowl and turkeys share membership in the overall Phasianidae family they belong to distinct subfamilies that split long ago in evolution. They are not closely related when examining their taxonomy.
Geographic Distribution – Continents Apart
Another key difference is the native habitats of peafowl and turkeys on separate continents. Peafowl originate from South Asia, predominantly India and Sri Lanka. Turkeys, on the other hand, are native to North America.
The fact that peafowl and turkeys evolved independently on different continents further confirms they are not closely related. Their distinct geographic origins shaped the adaptation of unique traits suited to their environments.
Physical Attributes – Flamboyant vs Subdued
Peafowl and turkeys exhibit pronounced physical differences, reflecting their distant relationship.
Male peafowl possess vibrant, iridescent plumage in shades of blue, green and gold. Their elegant long tail feathers beautifully fan out in courtship displays. The peacock’s showy feathers contrast sharply with the peahen’s more cryptic brown plumage.
Turkeys have more subdued, camouflaged feathers in earthy tones of brown, black and white. They lack bright colors but both male and female turkeys have the distinctive fleshy wattle hanging from the beak. Overall, turkeys exhibit more functional attributes for blending into their woodland habitats.
Behavior – Courting vs Foraging
Behavioral differences also stem from the distant relationship between peafowl and turkeys.
Peacocks are renowned for their elaborate mating rituals. Males gather in communal display grounds called leks and competition is fierce to impress peahens with their flashy feathers. In contrast, turkeys do not have lekking behavior and mating is less ostentatious.
Turkeys spend much of their time wanderings and foraging on the ground in flocks. Peafowl may feed in groups at times but do not exhibit the same full-time flocking behavior.
Cultural Significance – Beauty vs Tables
Finally, peafowl and turkeys hold distinct cultural symbolism. Peafowl represent refinement and divine beauty across various cultures, closely tied to their physical elegance. Their images adorn ancient temples and they are associated with royalty.
Turkeys, on the other hand, gained cultural significance from being hunted and domesticated as a food source. Today, turkey is deeply interwoven into American festive meals, especially Thanksgiving dinners.
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- Scientific Name: Meleagris ocellata
- Population: 20,000 – 50,000
- Trend: Decreasing
- Habitat: Mature and second-growth forest and edge; also frequents fields
The Ocellated Turkey is the gaudier tropical cousin of the worlds only other turkey species, our familiar Thanksgiving bird. Watching a strutting male display is like seeing a Wild Turkey through a colorized filter: The baby-blue head is dotted with red and orange wart-like bumps. Metallic body feathers shimmer in colors from electric blue to green, growing more vivid on wings also banded with bronzy-orange and white. Its striking tail recalls the peacocks famous plumes. (In Spanish, this bird is sometimes called pavo real, a term both for peacock and “royal turkey.”)
Unlike its northern relative, the Ocellated Turkey does not have a broad range. Its only found on the Yucatán Peninsula, which embraces a few Mexican states, the northern half of Belize, and Guatemalas northern Petén region. Despite its size and eye-popping plumage, this bird lurks mostly unseen amid thick foliage, like other turkey-like birds such as the Great Curassow. The peninsulas remaining forests also support a number of wild cat species. What does the Ocellated Turkey have in common with one of these slinky felines?
Particularly within large expanses of undisturbed habitat, the Ocellated Turkey must keep a wary eye out for wild cats, including the Jaguar, Puma, Jaguarundi, Margay, and the Ocelot, with which the bird shares part of its name. The word “ocellated” derives from Latin for “having eye-like markings.” In the turkeys case, this refers to rows of large metallic-blue and orange spots on its tail feathers. The same root occurs in the name Ocelot, referring to the outsized, two-toned spots adorning this cats fur.
Both the Ocellated Turkey and the Ocelot, unfortunately, have something else in common: Both are declining and face heavy hunting pressure and habitat loss in most of their range.
Ocellated Turkeys breed starting in March. A displaying male strides through a group of females, his tail spread wide and his head tilted back, resting on his fluffed back feathers. Wings shaking and occasionally rapped on the ground, he suddenly bursts into a rapid series of gobbles shallower than his larger relative — sounding like a barnyard goose trying to imitate a turkey. A dominant male may mate with many females, thwarting attempts by other males to mate with them.
Listen here:
(Audio: Paul Driver, XC522868. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/522868.)
Nesting occurs starting in April. The hen lays eight to 15 eggs in a scrape on the ground, then incubates the clutch for four weeks. Young are precocial, meaning that they can scamper off as soon as they hatch. The chicks stay with the hen until the start of the next breeding season.
The ancient Mayans revered turkeys. They considered them powerful and valued their iridescent feathers and impressive leg spurs. They traded for Wild Turkeys from the north, which they domesticated. But they also greatly appreciated the local Ocellated Turkeys living in forests just outside their settlements. Both species were eaten, sacrificed, and worshiped. On his epithet, a Mayan leader was even honored as Chak Akach Yuhk, translated by archaeologists to mean “Great Male Turkey, Shaker of Cities.”
The Ocellated Turkey is still an iconic species of the Yucatán Peninsulas tropical forests, including around major Mayan ruin sites such as Guatemalas world-famous Tikal National Park.
Ocellated Turkeys usually forage under thick cover within forest and scrub-forest, but will venture into clearings and adjacent farm fields for waste corn and other feeding opportunities. They spend much of their time seeking seeds, fruits, leaves, and insects and other small creatures.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) ranks the Ocellated Turkey as Near Threatened because many populations are in decline due to uncontrolled subsistence hunting and continued habitat loss. Healthy populations are protected in Guatemalas Tikal, in private and national reserves in Belize, and in some large Mexican reserves.
In some areas, traveling sport hunters buy permits and hire guides to hunt Ocellated Turkeys, providing an economic boost for outfitters, guides, and farmers. Recent research shows promise for carefully managed hunting of Ocellated Turkeys in ejidos, or community-run lands, in Mexico. There, some communities report increasing turkey populations kept in balance by a mixture of conservation, cultivation, and sustainable game management. The Wild Turkeys rebound in the U.S. was fueled by a similar melding of conservation, agriculture, and forestry.
Habitat loss remains one of the greatest threats to the Yucatáns wildlife, including the Ocellated Turkey and other endemic species like the Yellow-lored Amazon and Yucatán Poorwill, as well as wintering Neotropical migrants including the Kentucky Warbler, Wood Thrush, and Ovenbird.
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- Population: Approximately 24 to 50 million
- Trend: Unknown, may be decreasing
- Population: 800,000 – 1.4 million
- Trend: Stable
- Population: Unknown
- Trend: Probably decreasing, based on trends in forest loss within its range
Turkey vs Peacock – who will win?
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