Uses the heat generated by decomposing vegetation in its massive nest mound to incubate eggs, with the male monitoring and adjusting the temperature daily.
Not listed
Indigenous: Scrub Hen, Jungle-Fowl, Scrub Fowl
At a glance
FamilyMegapodes
SizeSmall
RarityCommon
HabitatTropical rainforest floor and nearby dense coastal vegetation; it also adapts to well-vegetated parks and gardens.
Best timeMost reliable in Queensland from July to November.
Sounds
Sound sampleRecorded by Étienne Leroy
Range map
Range map
200approx hotspots
70544approx records
3states
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
A large gray-brown ground bird with a pointed crest and massive orange legs and feet. Its loud crowing call often reveals it in dense cover.
Behavior
Builds enormous nest mounds from soil and vegetation, then adjusts the mound to regulate the heat that incubates its eggs.
Gallery
Regional timing
Queensland
Northern Territory
Western Australia