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Meleagris gallopavo ssp. osceola
Osceola Wild Turkey
Florida Wild Turkey
Florida native
Endemic to Florida
Osceola wild turkeys range throughout most of the Florida peninsula, but not reaching the very southern tip of the state.
Similar in appearance to the eastern wild turkey, but smaller and darker in color with less white veining in the wing quills and the dark bars predominate. Feathers of this subspecies tend to show more iridescent green and red colors, with less bronze than the eastern. Females are duller and lighter than the males, with dark wing feathers.
Reproductive cycles for the Osceola wild turkeys are only slightly earlier than the turkeys in the southeastern states, although they may gobble during warm spells as early as January. Egg laying is mainly in April with peak hatching in May.
Meleagris gallopavo is a member of the Phasianidae - Pheasants and their allies family.
Other species of the Meleagris genus in the Wild Florida Photo database:
Meleagris gallopavo var. silvestris - EASTERN WILD TURKEY
iNaturalist profile for this species
For more information on this species, visit the following link:
The Beauty of Birds page for this species
Date record last modified: Jun 09, 2025
