Megapodiidae – Megapodes
Natively living in Australian regions, they never incubate their eggs using body heat; instead, build mounds to burry eggs for hatching
Medium to large-sized terrestrial birds with small heads and large feet. The family includes Scrubfowl, Brush turkeys, and Malleefowl. Mostly they are black-brown and sexually monomorphic as the male and female are similar. Megapodes are omnivores, so they feed on animal and plant matter and usually do not migrate. Species live in pairs except for Brush turkeys and Malleefowl, which prefer solitary living.
Megapodes are notable for the passive incubation of eggs by burying in mounds, and the male is responsible for keeping the temperature in range. Chicks lack parental care and hatch maturely with open eyes, strong wings, and the ability to run. That’s why the eggs are large. Megapodes aid in the dispersal of seeds and influence the ecosystem due to their habit of building mounds under decaying vegetation.
Genera in this family
One of the three mound-building birds in Australia and the only one living in arid areas
Large distinctive megapode only habituating the Indonesian island of Sulawesi that breeds throughout the year
