Scrubfowl
Encyclopedia
The scrubfowl are the genus
Megapodius of the mound-builders, stocky, medium-large chicken-like bird
s with small heads and large feet in the family Megapodiidae. They are found from south-east Asia to north Australia
and island
s in the west Pacific.
They do not incubate their eggs
with their body heat in the orthodox way, but bury them. They are best known for building massive mound of decaying vegetation, which the male attends, adding or removing litter to regulate the internal heat while the eggs hatch. The species in taxonomic order are:
In all of the above, the name "Scrubfowl" if sometimes exchanged with "Megapode". Traditionally, most have been listed as subspecies
of M. freycinet, but today all major authorities consider this incorrect. Nevertheless, there are unresolved issues within the genus, and for example the taxon
forstenii has been considered a subspecies of M. freycinet, a subspecies of M. cumingii, or a monotypic
species. An additional species, the Moluccan Megapode
, has sometimes been placed in Megapodius, but today most place it in the genus Eulipoa instead. The Maleo
is also associated with these genera, and together the three form a group.
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
Megapodius of the mound-builders, stocky, medium-large chicken-like bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
s with small heads and large feet in the family Megapodiidae. They are found from south-east Asia to north Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and island
Island
An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm...
s in the west Pacific.
They do not incubate their eggs
Egg (biology)
An egg is an organic vessel in which an embryo first begins to develop. In most birds, reptiles, insects, molluscs, fish, and monotremes, an egg is the zygote, resulting from fertilization of the ovum, which is expelled from the body and permitted to develop outside the body until the developing...
with their body heat in the orthodox way, but bury them. They are best known for building massive mound of decaying vegetation, which the male attends, adding or removing litter to regulate the internal heat while the eggs hatch. The species in taxonomic order are:
- Polynesian Scrubfowl, Megapodius pritchardii
- Micronesian ScrubfowlMicronesian ScrubfowlThe Micronesian Megapode or Micronesian Scrubfowl, Megapodius laperouse, is an endangered megapode which inhabits islands of the Western Pacific Ocean.-Description:...
, Megapodius laperouse- Marianas Island Megapode, Megapodius laperouse laperouse
- Nicobar ScrubfowlNicobar ScrubfowlThe Nicobar Megapode or Nicobar Scrubfowl is a megapode found in some of the Nicobar Islands . Like other megapodes relatives, it builds a large mound nest with soil and vegetation, with the eggs hatched by the heat produced by decomposition...
, Megapodius nicobariensis - Philippine Scrubfowl, Megapodius cumingii
- Sula ScrubfowlSula ScrubfowlThe Sula Megapode or Sula Scrubfowl is a species of bird in the Megapodiidae family.It is found only in Indonesia, where its habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests, subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, subtropical or tropical mangrove forests, and subtropical or tropical moist...
, Megapodius bernsteinii - Tanimbar ScrubfowlTanimbar ScrubfowlThe Tanimbar Megapode or Tanimbar Scrubfowl, Megapodius tenimberensis, is a small megapode endemic to the Tanimbar Islands of Indonesia...
Megapodius tenimberensis - Dusky ScrubfowlDusky ScrubfowlThe Dusky Megapode or Dusky Scrubfowl, Megapodius freycinet, is a medium-sized , blackish bird with a short pointed crest, bare red facial skin, dark legs, brown iris and dark brown and yellow bill. The male and female are similar...
, Megapodius freycinet- Forsten's Scrubfowl, Megapodius (freycinet) forstenii
- Biak Scrubfowl Megapodius geelvinkianus
- Melanesian ScrubfowlMelanesian ScrubfowlThe Melanesian Megapode or Melanesian Scrubfowl is a species of bird in the Megapodiidae family.It is found in Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands....
, Megapodius eremita - Vanuatu Scrubfowl, Megapodius layardi
- New Guinea ScrubfowlNew Guinea ScrubfowlThe New Guinea Scrubfowl is a species of bird in the Megapodiidae family.It is found in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea....
, Megapodius affinis - Orange-footed ScrubfowlOrange-footed ScrubfowlThe Orange-footed Scrubfowl, Megapodius reinwardt, is a small megapode of the family Megapodiidae.This species comprises five subspecies found on many islands in Wallacea as well as southern New Guinea and northern Australia. It is a terrestrial bird the size of a domestic chicken and dark-coloured...
Megapodius reinwardt - †Pile-builder Scrubfowl Megapodius molistructor
In all of the above, the name "Scrubfowl" if sometimes exchanged with "Megapode". Traditionally, most have been listed as subspecies
Subspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
of M. freycinet, but today all major authorities consider this incorrect. Nevertheless, there are unresolved issues within the genus, and for example the taxon
Taxon
|thumb|270px|[[African elephants]] form a widely-accepted taxon, the [[genus]] LoxodontaA taxon is a group of organisms, which a taxonomist adjudges to be a unit. Usually a taxon is given a name and a rank, although neither is a requirement...
forstenii has been considered a subspecies of M. freycinet, a subspecies of M. cumingii, or a monotypic
Monotypic
In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group with only one biological type. The term's usage differs slightly between botany and zoology. The term monotypic has a separate use in conservation biology, monotypic habitat, regarding species habitat conversion eliminating biodiversity and...
species. An additional species, the Moluccan Megapode
Moluccan Megapode
The Moluccan Megapode also known as Wallace's Scrubfowl, Moluccan Scrubfowl or Painted Megapode, is a small, approximately 31 cm long, olive-brown megapode. The genus Eulipoa is monotypic, but the Moluccan Megapode is sometimes placed in Megapodius instead...
, has sometimes been placed in Megapodius, but today most place it in the genus Eulipoa instead. The Maleo
Maleo
The Maleo is a medium-sized blackish megapode with bare yellow facial skin, reddish-brown iris, reddish-orange beak and rosy salmon underparts. The crown is ornamented with a black helmet casque. The greyish blue feet have four long sharp claws, separated by a membranous web...
is also associated with these genera, and together the three form a group.
External links
- Mound-builders videos on the Internet Bird Collection