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
HabitatAlso found in cosmopolitan parks and gardens.
Best timeMost reliable in Queensland from July to November.
Sounds
Sound sampleRecorded by Étienne Leroy
Range map
Range map
664visible hotspots
70381visible 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
Also found in cosmopolitan parks and gardens. Note loud crowing call.
Behavior
Resident on the floors of tropical rainforests. This species builds very large nest mounds (so large they almost look like earthworks).
Gallery
Regional timing
Queensland
Northern Territory
Western Australia