Sula Megapode Megapodius bernsteinii Scientific name definitions

c. 30–35 cm (1 Dekker, R. W. R. J. (1996). Megapodes of the genus Megapodius in the Oriental Region. Bulletin of the Oriental Bird Club 24:36–41. Close ). Fairly uniform rufous-brown plumage (2 Jones, D. N., R. W. R. J. Dekker, and C. S. Roselaar (1995). The Megapodes. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ). Very short, slightly pointed crest (1 Dekker, R. W. R. J. (1996). Megapodes of the genus Megapodius in the Oriental Region. Bulletin of the Oriental Bird Club 24:36–41. Close ). Male and female apparently identical, including in size (2 Jones, D. N., R. W. R. J. Dekker, and C. S. Roselaar (1995). The Megapodes. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ). Differs from <em>M. cumingii</em> in having underparts similar to upperparts ; chestnut lower back, rufous lower breast and belly, iris brown or chestnut, bare skin around eye brown to greyish black (2 Jones, D. N., R. W. R. J. Dekker, and C. S. Roselaar (1995). The Megapodes. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ), legs and feet orange or red. Juvenile more buffish in overall colour, with pale-tipped upperwing-coverts and has blackish legs (2 Jones, D. N., R. W. R. J. Dekker, and C. S. Roselaar (1995). The Megapodes. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ).

Formerly included in M. freycinet. Birds from Peleng I (Banggai Is) have been accorded separate race perrufus, but observed differences in general plumage tones usually attributed to individual variation (3 Jones, D.N., Dekker, R.W.R.J. and Roselaar, C.S. (1995). The Megapodes. Oxford University Press, Oxford & New York. Close ); this race has alternatively been assigned to M. reinwardt, presumably in error. Monotypic.

Banggai Is and Sula Is.

Variety of habitats, ranging from primary forest to coastal scrub, and including bamboo-dominated forest (2 Jones, D. N., R. W. R. J. Dekker, and C. S. Roselaar (1995). The Megapodes. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ). On Lalobo I (Banggai Is), recorded as high as 450 m above sea-level (4 Indrawan, M., Y. Masala, and L. Pesik (1997). Recent bird observations from the Banggai Islands. Kukila 9:61–70. Close ); also heard in mangroves and in thick­ets in a coconut plantation. On Taliabu I (Sula Is), not recorded in primary montane forest, but quite common in primary and selectively logged lowland forest (5 Stones, A. J., R. S. Lucking, P. J. Davidson, and W. Raharjaningtrah (1997). Checklist of the birds of the Sula Islands (1991), with particular reference to Taliabu Island. Kukila 9:37–55. Close ), up to at least 400 m (6 Rheindt, F. E. (2010). New biogeographic records for the avifauna of Taliabu (Sula Islands, Indonesia), with preliminary documentation of two previously undiscovered taxa. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists’ Club 130(1):33–51. Close ); fairly frequent in wooded savanna and around margins of agriculture, where can occur in dense scrub. Limited evidence may suggest some degree of adaptability to disturbed habitats; however, this could simply reflect apparent preference for lowlands, where vast majority of logging takes place.

Presumably sedentary. Frequently seen in pairs, sometimes in groups of up to five birds (suspected to be family parties) (7 Indrawan, M., Masala, Y. and Pesik, L. (1998). Observations on the breeding behaviour of Sula Scrubfowl Megapodius bernsteinii in the Banggai Islands, Sulawesi, Indonesia. Forktail. 13: 13–16. Close ).

Very few data, but presumably omnivorous like other Megapodius (2 Jones, D. N., R. W. R. J. Dekker, and C. S. Roselaar (1995). The Megapodes. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ) and has been recorded feeding on young roots and invertebrates including worms (7 Indrawan, M., Masala, Y. and Pesik, L. (1998). Observations on the breeding behaviour of Sula Scrubfowl Megapodius bernsteinii in the Banggai Islands, Sulawesi, Indonesia. Forktail. 13: 13–16. Close ). Sand also recorded in stomach contents, presumably as grit (7 Indrawan, M., Masala, Y. and Pesik, L. (1998). Observations on the breeding behaviour of Sula Scrubfowl Megapodius bernsteinii in the Banggai Islands, Sulawesi, Indonesia. Forktail. 13: 13–16. Close ). Frequently forages in areas with fallen and rotting trees and branches.

Voice loud, often given nocturnally (2 Jones, D. N., R. W. R. J. Dekker, and C. S. Roselaar (1995). The Megapodes. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ), but also given in morning and to lesser extent afternoon in vicinity of nest mound (7 Indrawan, M., Masala, Y. and Pesik, L. (1998). Observations on the breeding behaviour of Sula Scrubfowl Megapodius bernsteinii in the Banggai Islands, Sulawesi, Indonesia. Forktail. 13: 13–16. Close ). Duet  characteristic and initiated by one of pair (probably the female) with “keyou keyouw”, the second note slightly longer and descending, and answered on either the first or second note with a single rising then level “weyou-prrrrrouroutou-tou-tou” (2 Jones, D. N., R. W. R. J. Dekker, and C. S. Roselaar (1995). The Megapodes. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ); sometimes (apparently solely later in the breeding season) the sequence is reversed (7 Indrawan, M., Masala, Y. and Pesik, L. (1998). Observations on the breeding behaviour of Sula Scrubfowl Megapodius bernsteinii in the Banggai Islands, Sulawesi, Indonesia. Forktail. 13: 13–16. Close ). Surrounding pairs regularly prompted to call in response (7 Indrawan, M., Masala, Y. and Pesik, L. (1998). Observations on the breeding behaviour of Sula Scrubfowl Megapodius bernsteinii in the Banggai Islands, Sulawesi, Indonesia. Forktail. 13: 13–16. Close ). Soft repeated whine “cu-uh cu-uh cu-uh” given as a bird approached and began work on nest mound (7 Indrawan, M., Masala, Y. and Pesik, L. (1998). Observations on the breeding behaviour of Sula Scrubfowl Megapodius bernsteinii in the Banggai Islands, Sulawesi, Indonesia. Forktail. 13: 13–16. Close ). A loud honking “WAAH WAAH” given in alarm, e.g. when being hunted by humans with dogs (7 Indrawan, M., Masala, Y. and Pesik, L. (1998). Observations on the breeding behaviour of Sula Scrubfowl Megapodius bernsteinii in the Banggai Islands, Sulawesi, Indonesia. Forktail. 13: 13–16. Close ).

Eggs and one chick found in Dec (4 Indrawan, M., Y. Masala, and L. Pesik (1997). Recent bird observations from the Banggai Islands. Kukila 9:61–70. Close ), indicating laying from Oct or earlier; active mound in Sept/Oct. Apparently monogamous. Mound builder, in either sandy or clay soils (7 Indrawan, M., Masala, Y. and Pesik, L. (1998). Observations on the breeding behaviour of Sula Scrubfowl Megapodius bernsteinii in the Banggai Islands, Sulawesi, Indonesia. Forktail. 13: 13–16. Close ); both pair-members may work on the mound, though usually not simultaneously, principally in morning, but also in afternoon, and sometimes for c. 2 hours without pause (7 Indrawan, M., Masala, Y. and Pesik, L. (1998). Observations on the breeding behaviour of Sula Scrubfowl Megapodius bernsteinii in the Banggai Islands, Sulawesi, Indonesia. Forktail. 13: 13–16. Close ). Mounds take three forms (conical, half-conical and elongated ridge shape) (7 Indrawan, M., Masala, Y. and Pesik, L. (1998). Observations on the breeding behaviour of Sula Scrubfowl Megapodius bernsteinii in the Banggai Islands, Sulawesi, Indonesia. Forktail. 13: 13–16. Close ) and are either built round rotting bases of trees (standing or fallen) (7 Indrawan, M., Masala, Y. and Pesik, L. (1998). Observations on the breeding behaviour of Sula Scrubfowl Megapodius bernsteinii in the Banggai Islands, Sulawesi, Indonesia. Forktail. 13: 13–16. Close ) or in open areas (including cultivated land) where eggs are solar-heated (7 Indrawan, M., Masala, Y. and Pesik, L. (1998). Observations on the breeding behaviour of Sula Scrubfowl Megapodius bernsteinii in the Banggai Islands, Sulawesi, Indonesia. Forktail. 13: 13–16. Close ); one mound was c. 100 cm high × 600 cm wide. Mounds have been found within 20 m of high-tide line (7 Indrawan, M., Masala, Y. and Pesik, L. (1998). Observations on the breeding behaviour of Sula Scrubfowl Megapodius bernsteinii in the Banggai Islands, Sulawesi, Indonesia. Forktail. 13: 13–16. Close ). Local people report that multiple pairs may use same nest mound, but this not yet confirmed by ornithologists (7 Indrawan, M., Masala, Y. and Pesik, L. (1998). Observations on the breeding behaviour of Sula Scrubfowl Megapodius bernsteinii in the Banggai Islands, Sulawesi, Indonesia. Forktail. 13: 13–16. Close ). Eggs said to require c. 2 months minimum for hatching, and are similar in shape and colour to those of other Megapodius and Macrocephalon maleo (2 Jones, D. N., R. W. R. J. Dekker, and C. S. Roselaar (1995). The Megapodes. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ).

VULNERABLE. Formerly considered Near Threatened. Total population roughly estimated to number c. 10,000 individuals, but numbers perhaps much higher; thought to be stable or declining. Until 1980s unknown in wild, with no records of any sort since 1938; in 1981, recorded on Lalobo I, which appeared to be less disturbed than other main islands of Banggai group; two birds recorded on Mangole I (Sula) in 1988. In Oct–Dec 1991, project, with participation of Indonesian biologists, found species to be widespread in Banggai Is, where recorded on seven of eight islands surveyed; on Peleng I, common in some areas, absent in others; local people reported presence of species on several other, unsurveyed islands; conservative minimum estimate of 7000 birds for total population of Banggai Is, but probably declining. On Taliabu I (Sula Is), was relatively common in two study sites, but infrequent to absent in others, e.g. in E of island (5 Stones, A. J., R. S. Lucking, P. J. Davidson, and W. Raharjaningtrah (1997). Checklist of the birds of the Sula Islands (1991), with particular reference to Taliabu Island. Kukila 9:37–55. Close ); extrapolation of data gave rough estimate of total population of Taliabu at c. 22,000–54,000 birds, of which c. 4000–10,000 should occur in proposed reserve, but most recent (2009) survey suggests rapid and ongoing decline. Perhaps equally dramatic declines reported during last decade from Peleng. Main threats appear to be habitat destruction, predation, and hunting and trapping by man; likely to be severely affected by large-scale commercial logging, especially of coastal forests, that is going on in Sula and Banggai Is; egg collecting does not seem to occur on Taliabu I, where predation of eggs by monitor lizards (Varanus salvator) recorded, although significance probably minimal; in Banggai Is, introduced feral Red Junglefowl (Gallus gallus) apparently displace present species in some areas. Proposal in 1981 by FAO/UN to create protected area of c. 700 km² on Taliabu I, largest of Sula Is; this should now be put into practice, before area lost to commercial logging; other protected areas should be designated. Species protected by Indonesian law, but very little, if any, effective protection. Conservation proposals include public awareness campaign. No birds known to be held in captivity.