Ocellated Turkey
It's the begining of May in the Yucatan Peninsula and the early moring "singing" of the Ocellated gobblers is a sure sign that breeding season is underway. 
The males call is more like singing than gobbling and is made up of six to seven bongo like base tones which quicken in cadense and volume until a crescendo is reached, whereupon the birds head is fully erect while he issues forth a rather high-pitched but melodious series of chops.
Meleagris ocellata
Tying with Ocellated Turkey
As turkeys go this is one gorgeous bird offering the tier huge possibilities. The copper wing coverts can be used for iridescent wing cases on stone fly patterns or for wet fly wings.
The grayish-brown mottled tail feather have often been used as an alternative to bustard in married wing or mixed wing salmon flies.
The body and rump feathers offer the artistic tier some beautiful choices for full feather wing salmon flies. Sections of the tips of the tail feathers can be used for tails on salmon and steelhead flies. Crafters will find untold uses for these feathers.
- feather assortments
- paired feathers
- fly patterns
- links to other turkey breeds
Feather Assortment
Here are some feathers from a breeding male. I've put together a few different assortments to choose from.
Click the image for a larger view.
Tails center pairs - $ side tails - $ tail coverts - $
Body Feathers wing quills- $ wing coverts - $ rump feathers - $
50 feather assortment - $ |
Neck & Shoulder Feathers
These are the mostly green feathers on the neck and shoulders of the bird. There is quite a range in size - very tiny ones up on the neck, larger ones on the shoulders.
large - $ medium - $ small - $ |
Back Feathers
These feathers start on the center of the back and are unique in that they have a thick gold band on the top edge. The rest of is a mixture of a bronze and green irredescent color.
large - $ medium - $ small - $ |
Rump Feathers
Further down the back, on the rump of the bird, the feathers begin to resemble tail feathers in color and pattern. However, the fibers are softer and the barbs are shorter. They range quite a bit in size, the shortest measuring less than 3", perfect for a wing on a fly.
large - $ medium - $ small - $ |
Tail Coverts
The color and pattern of these feathers is almost identical to the actual tail feathers. They vary a bit in lengh but the oceli are mostly uniform on each feather in the fan. Check out the male in full display on the right.
large - $ medium - $ small - $ |
Tail Feathers
There are 22 of these spectacular feathers in a full tail fan. The body of the feather is has a finely vermiculated pattern and the oceli on the tips are darker in color than those on the tail coverts.
large - $ medium - $ small - $ |
Wing Coverts
These feathers have a rich irredescent copper color. For the most part they are all the same lengh, however, the feathers closest to the body begin to show some degree of barring. Check out the pair on the left.
large - $ medium - $ small - $ |
Wing Feathers
The wing feathers on this bird are somewhat similar to the North American Turkey, however there is far more white, especially around the edges on the secondaries. Those close to the body have an irredescent green cast.
large - $ medium - $ small - $ |
I'm looking for pictures of flies and the recipies you used to tie them. Please give me a call or email me for more information.
Thanks!
The name "turkey" was given to these fabulous birds, somewhat incorrectly, by Europeans who first imported them from the new world through the country of Turkey. Mistaking them as a type of Guineafowl, they called them "Turkey fowl" which was later shorted up to just "turkey". And as with peafowl, breeders have selectivly bred them into every size, shape, and color.
Turkey Species: |
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Ocellated hen
rump feathers
preening male
bronze wing coverts
displaying male
tail coverts
Ocellated painting
center tails
Ocellated tom
wing quills
Ocellated head
