ML723641 IBC 1520167
Contributor
Date
Location
- Age
- Not specified
- Sex
- Not specified
- Behaviors
- Foraging or eating
- Captive
- Captive
Media notes
A captive Malleefowl foraging - closer view. The Malleefowl (Leipoa ocellata) is a large, stocky, ground-dwelling, mound-nesting (megapode), chicken-sized bird found across southern and central Australia, mostly in arid and semi-arid habitats. Malleefowls are endangered over most of their range by habitat fragmentation caused by over-clearing of native woodlands for agriculture, and by predation from introduced foxes and feral cats. Malleefowls are cryptically patterned, secretive birds that are difficult to find in the bush. They build huge mounds of soil and composted leaf litter, and the female lays a clutch of 2-30 large, thin-shelled eggs on top of the rotting compost in the nest mound. The male Malleefowl regulates the temperature of the mound by removing or adding soil and leaf litter as needed. The chicks dig themselves from the mound, and are completely independent of their parents, and can run after two hours and fly within a day after hatching. This captive bird was videoed foraging at theYongergnow Australian Malleefowl Centreat Ongerup in south-western Western Australia. Elevation: 292 m. Date added to IBC: September 30, 2018.
Collection
Technical information
- Camera
- Microphone
- Accessories
Archival information
- Cataloged
- 31 Jan 2020 - Matthew D. Medler
- Digitized
- 31 Jan 2020 - Matthew D. Medler