Family Megapodiidae

Megapodes

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General

Medium-sized to large terrestrial birds with large, powerful legs and feet and sharp claws.
Australasian Region, with greatest diversity in Australo-Papuan Subregion; lone outpost in Oriental Region.
Tropical forest, mostly in lowlands; one species occupies semi-arid woodland and scrub.

28-70 cm.

7 genera, 21 species, 44 taxa.

10 species threatened;
none extinct since 1600.

Systematics

The Megapodiidae are the most distinctive members of the Galliformes, and they are often considered to be the most primitive. They form a well defined, rather homogeneous group of some nineteen species, which are closely united not only by morphology, but also by their unique breeding habits...

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Morphological Aspects

In general, the Megapodiidae are rather similar in morphology to most other Galliformes. This standardized design was apparently perfected for a terrestrial way of life at an early stage and has undergone only relatively limited modifications since.

Megapodes are medium-sized to large...

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Habitat

The typical habitat of the Megapodiidae is the floor of tropical rain forest. Almost all species use this as their foraging habitat, and for most it also serves as breeding habitat, but some species have...

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General Habits

Little is known about the habits of most megapode species when they are away from their breeding sites. They tend to be inconspicuous and rather shy, so they are usually difficult to observe.

Scrubfowl go about in pairs most of the time, and it has been suggested that lone individuals...

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Voice

Like many other largely terrestrial birds, megapodes are generally rather difficult to see, presumably an adaptation to the fact that on the ground birds are more open to attack from a wider array of potential predators. To overcome the communication problems arising from such secretive...

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Food and Feeding

Surprisingly little is known about the diet of even the best known megapodes, while virtually nothing at all has ever been recorded for a good number of the species. However, it seems likely that in general...

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Breeding

The vast majority of what is known about megapodes is related to breeding. There are two main reasons for this. First, the fact that they do not use body heat for the incubation of their eggs is a habit unique within the bird world, and as such is naturally the aspect that has most interested...

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Movements

The Galliformes in general show a rather limited capacity of mobility, and in the entire order true migration is limited to a handful of Old World quails (Coturnix). The results of this would appear to...

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Relationship with Man

Like most Galliformes, megapodes have a long history of contact with the local human populations, and at various different times humans have almost certainly had important influences on the distribution of several species, although the true extent of this may never be known.

The...

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Status and Conservation

In the last decade or so, extensive research has been carried out on this hitherto poorly known family, mostly by members of the Megapode Specialist Group, which operates under the auspices of BirdLife International, the World Pheasant Association and the Species Survival Commission. Studies...

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General Bibliography

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Species list

List of species of the Megapodes (Megapodiidae) family. Each species provides information on taxonomy, descriptive notes, voice, habitat, food and feeding, breeding, movements, status and conservation and bibliography.

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Family Megapodiidae

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