Includes: Forsten's Megapode (Forsten's Scrubfowl)
Alternative name: Dusky Scrubfowl
- Megapodius freycinet
Identification
41cm.
- overall greyish black or brownish
- crest short, pointed
- facial skin bare, red
- iris brown
- Dark brown and yellow bill
- legs dark or orangy (subspecies dependent)
- Sexes alike
Distribution
Indonesia: Northern and central Moluccas and west Papuan islands (off New Guinea).
Taxonomy
Biak Scrubfowl was formerly included in this species. Forsten's Megapode (subspecies M. f. forsteni and M. f. buruensis) may be considered a separate species but is generally included in Dusky Megapode. It is morphologically and genetically close to the other subspecies.
Subspecies
Five subspecies are recognized[1]:
- M. f. quoyii in the northern Moluccas
- M. f. freycinet on islands off of northwestern New Guinea: Waigeo and surrounding islets (Boni and Saonek), Kofiau, Kamuai, and Misool Island
- M. f. oustaleti in extreme northwestern New Guinea (western Vogelkop Peninsula) and adjacent islands, including Batanta, Salawati, and associated smaller islands
- M. f. buruensis in central Moluccas (Buru)
- M. f. forsteni in central Moluccas (Seram, Ambon, Haruku, and Gorong)
Habitat
Swamps, mangroves and forests.
Behaviour
They lay their eggs in a mound which is made from earth, leaves, sand and sticks.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, T. A. Fredericks, J. A. Gerbracht, D. Lepage, S. M. Billerman, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2022. The eBird/Clements checklist of Birds of the World: v2022. Downloaded from https://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Gill, F, D Donsker, and P Rasmussen (Eds). 2023. IOC World Bird List (v 13.2). Doi 10.14344/IOC.ML.13.2. http://www.worldbirdnames.org/
- Wikipedia
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Dusky Megapode. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 20 April 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Dusky_Megapode
External Links
GSearch checked for 2020 platform.1
