Red-legged Brushturkey Talegalla jobiensis Scientific name definitions

53–61 cm; male 1531–1705 g (longicauda), female 1360 g (jobiensis) (1 Jones, D. N., R. W. R. J. Dekker, and C. S. Roselaar (1995). The Megapodes. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ). Perhaps some overlap with T. fuscirostris, or they may replace each other altitudinally (latter lower); head of present species has curassow-like appearance, quite unlike that of T. fuscirostris or T. cuvieri (1 Jones, D. N., R. W. R. J. Dekker, and C. S. Roselaar (1995). The Megapodes. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ). Dark reddish tinge on bare skin of face and neck; legs and feet orange to bright red (1 Jones, D. N., R. W. R. J. Dekker, and C. S. Roselaar (1995). The Megapodes. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ); reddish-brown collar; iris brown to red (1 Jones, D. N., R. W. R. J. Dekker, and C. S. Roselaar (1995). The Megapodes. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ); bill yellow-brown to dull red (1 Jones, D. N., R. W. R. J. Dekker, and C. S. Roselaar (1995). The Megapodes. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ). Immature is much like adult, but has better feathered head and neck, and body plumage is browner and duller than that of adult (1 Jones, D. N., R. W. R. J. Dekker, and C. S. Roselaar (1995). The Megapodes. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ). Race longicauda slightly larger.

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Editor's Note: Additional distribution information for this taxon can be found in the 'Subspecies' article above. In the future we will develop a range-wide distribution article.

Forested zones from sea level perhaps up to 1980 m (1 Jones, D. N., R. W. R. J. Dekker, and C. S. Roselaar (1995). The Megapodes. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ) though only certainly recorded to 1390 m (2 Freeman, B., and A. M. Class Freeman (2014). The avifauna of Mt. Karimui, Chimbu Province, Papua New Guinea, including evidence for long-term population dynamics in undisturbed tropical forest. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists’ Club 134(1):30–51. Close ); seems to prefer dry ground, and tends to avoid areas of swamp forest; in higher parts of range, often found in ravines. In area of R Aroa (SE New Guinea) assumed to occur at higher altitudes than T. fuscirostris. Roost recorded c. 8 m up in large forest tree; copious droppings on ground below.

No information available. Presumably sedentary.

No information available, though considered to be probably omnivorous (1 Jones, D. N., R. W. R. J. Dekker, and C. S. Roselaar (1995). The Megapodes. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ).

Vocal day and night; generally gives series of 2–4 very loud , ascending, braying notes similar to those of T. fuscirostris but slower, fewer and of longer in duration; either “owagh-aagh” (c. 2 seconds) or “agggh-owagh-aggh-ah” (6·5 seconds) (1 Jones, D. N., R. W. R. J. Dekker, and C. S. Roselaar (1995). The Megapodes. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ).

Female in breeding condition collected in Sept in NC New Guinea, several week-old chick collected Jul (Tor R) (1 Jones, D. N., R. W. R. J. Dekker, and C. S. Roselaar (1995). The Megapodes. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ), and activity around mounds witnessed Oct–Mar (1 Jones, D. N., R. W. R. J. Dekker, and C. S. Roselaar (1995). The Megapodes. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ), but local people claim eggs can be found in any month (1 Jones, D. N., R. W. R. J. Dekker, and C. S. Roselaar (1995). The Megapodes. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ). Mound builder; also said to be parasitic. Probably monogamous (1 Jones, D. N., R. W. R. J. Dekker, and C. S. Roselaar (1995). The Megapodes. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ). Mound flat and wide, sited between large trees; alternatively, very large heap of humus measuring 90–450 cm wide × 150 cm high (1 Jones, D. N., R. W. R. J. Dekker, and C. S. Roselaar (1995). The Megapodes. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ); mound temperature c. 32°–36°C; one mound was used by same pair for 3–5 years (1 Jones, D. N., R. W. R. J. Dekker, and C. S. Roselaar (1995). The Megapodes. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ). Usually used by pair, once by three birds. Up to 17 eggs found in single mound (1 Jones, D. N., R. W. R. J. Dekker, and C. S. Roselaar (1995). The Megapodes. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ). Said to parasitize mounds of Megapodius decollatus in NC New Guinea, but inverse seems far more likely, and probably recorded in SC New Guinea; will renovate mounds previously used by Aepypodius arfakianus (3 Sinclair, J.R. (2002). Selection of incubation mound sites by three sympatric megapodes in Papua New Guinea. Condor. 104(2): 395–406. Close ). Much predation of eggs by monitor lizards (Varanus). Eggs vinaceous russet to brown, though outer layer flakes off during incubation (1 Jones, D. N., R. W. R. J. Dekker, and C. S. Roselaar (1995). The Megapodes. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ). Chick is largely fuscous-brown above with sooty patch around eye and rusty-cinnamon underparts (1 Jones, D. N., R. W. R. J. Dekker, and C. S. Roselaar (1995). The Megapodes. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ); weighs 110–125 g at hatching (1 Jones, D. N., R. W. R. J. Dekker, and C. S. Roselaar (1995). The Megapodes. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ), 292 g at six weeks old.

Not globally threatened (Least Concern). Mace Lande: Safe. Total population was thought to number 10,000–1,000,000 individuals, but declining and more recently estimated at 670–67,000 birds by BirdLife. Regularly encountered in suitable habitat; common and widespread in Irian Jaya (W New Guinea), e.g. around Humboldt Bay (1 Jones, D. N., R. W. R. J. Dekker, and C. S. Roselaar (1995). The Megapodes. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ). Main threats are conversion and degradation of habitat; some protected areas should be designated; suffers from intensive egg collecting, and casual hunting of adults (skins may be used to make drums) (4 Niles, D. (1995). Brown-collared Brush-turkey (Talegalla jobiensis) used for drum skin. Muruk. 7(1): 39–40. Close ), but species thought to be secure in areas where human population is sparse. In Papua New Guinea, wherever human population sizeable, species rapidly exterminated by hunters. Legally protected in Indonesia.