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Megapodiidae - Scrub Fowl, Brush-turkeys

Classification

Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Galliformes
Fmily: Megapodiidae

There are 21 species in this family. They are found in forests in Australia, New Guinea, and surrounding islands though to Indonesia and the Philippines. They are large turkey-like birds, 20-27 inches in length. The Megapodes are also known as scrub fowl and brush turkeys.

Megapodes are also known as mound builders because of their unique nest building and incubation method! They create a nest mound of dried vegetation and sand and bury their eggs in the mound. They heat of the decaying vegetation incubates the eggs! Both parents add and take material off of the mound to regulate the temperature of the mound. After hatching, the chicks dig their way out of the mound. The chicks are precocial and can feed and care for themselves after hatching. Some members of this family place their eggs in burrows or pits in the ground and let the sun's warmth incubate the eggs.

World Status Key
Least Concern Near Threatened Vulnerable Endangered Critically Endangered Extinct in Wild Extinct
Status and range is taken from ICUN Redlist. If no status is listed, there is not enough data to establish status.

US Status Key
Threatened in US Threatened in NH Endangered in US Endangered in NH Introduced
Status taken from US Fish and Wildlife and NH Fish and Game

New Hampshire Species		North/Central American Species
None		None

Other Species Around the World
Africa Asia Australia/Oceania Europe North/Central America South America NH Species
Wattled Brush-turkey - Aepypodius arfakianus Bruijn's Brush-turkey - Aepypodius bruijnii Australian Brush-turkey - Alectura lathami Moluccan Megapode - Eulipoa wallacei Malleefowl - Leipoa ocellata Maleo - Macrocephalon maleo New Guinea Megapode - Megapodius affinis Sula Megapode - Megapodius bernsteinii Tabon Megapode - Megapodius cumingii Melanesian Megapode - Megapodius eremita Dusky Megapode - Megapodius freycinet		Biak Megapode - Megapodius geelvinkianus Micronesian Megapode - Megapodius laperouse Vanuatu Megapode - Megapodius layardi Nicobar Megapode - Megapodius nicobariensis Polynesian Megapode - Megapodius pritchardii Orange-footed Megapode - Megapodius reinwardt Tanimbar Megapode - Megapodius tenimberensis Red-billed Brush-turkey - Talegalla cuvieri Black-billed Brush-turkey - Talegalla fuscirostris Brown-collared Brush-turkey - Talegalla jobiensis
Additional Information Key: Profile Photos Video Audio Bruijn's Brush-turkey - Aepypodius bruijnii Bruijn's brush-turkey is found in Indonesia. Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Maleo - Macrocephalon maleo The maleo is found in Indonesia. Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Malleefowl - Leipoa ocellata The Malleefowl is found in Australia. Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Micronesian Megapode - Megapodius laperouse The Micronesian megapode is found in Northern Mariana Islands and Palau.. Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Moluccan Megapode - Eulipoa wallacei The Moluccan megapode is found in Indonesia. Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Polynesian Megapode - Megapodius pritchardii The Polynesian megapode is found in Tonga. Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Vanuatu Megapode - Megapodius layardi The Vanuatu megapode is found in Vanuatu. Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

Megapodiidae - Scrub Fowl, Brush-turkeys

Classification

New Hampshire Species

North/Central American Species

Other Species Around the World

Additional Information

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