Builds enormous nest mounds of leaves and mulch; the heat from decomposition incubates the eggs without parental sitting.
Not listed
Endemic to Australia
Indigenous: Wagun, Wirrilaa, Wild Turkey, Barnard's Brush Turkey, Yellow-Wattled Brush Turkey, Scrub Turkey
At a glance
FamilyMegapodes
SizeLarge
RarityCommon
HabitatIt is found in eastern Australia, ranging from Far North Queensland to the south coast of New South Wales , and has also been introduced to Kangaroo Island in South Australia.
Best timeMost reliable in Queensland from July to November.
Sounds
Sound sampleRecorded by Mike FitzGerald
Range map
Range map
1602visible hotspots
230279visible records
2states
Low confidenceMediumHigh confidence
Aggregated occurance data is sourced from 14 different actively-updating datasets including eBird Australia, iNaturalist Australia, BirdLife Australia, and multiple state-based bird surveys through Atlas of Living Australia.
Species notes
Overview
Obvious red head. Male develops large yellow pendulous neck wattles (mauve in Cape York subspecies). Endemic resident of tropical rainforests along the eastern coast of Australia. It can be a common in cosmopolitan parks and gardens in places such as Cairns, Brisbane.
Behavior
Roosts at night very high up in trees. Builds large nest-mounds of leaves and mulch.
Gallery
Regional timing
New South Wales
Queensland
South Australia
Victoria
Australian Capital Territory