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Vanuatu Megapode - BirdForum Opus

(Redirected from Megapodius layardi)
Photo by Tanager
Loro Protected Area, Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu, January 2006

Alternative name: Vanuatu Scrubfowl

Megapodius layardi

Identification

42-45 cm.

  • Dark brownish or plumbeous black plumage
  • Extensive pinkish-red bare skin on face and forehead, more bare areas than any other Megapodes
  • Pale yellow bill
  • Bright yellow legs and feet

Sexes similar. Juveniles are duller and have browner legs and bill.

Distribution

Endemic to central and north Vanuatu.
Still common in good habitat but declining and total population around 10'000 birds. Habitat loss, egg harvesting and introduced predators are the main reasons for the decline.

Taxonomy

This is a monotypic species.
Formerly considered conspecific with Dusky Megapode. Also linked with Micronesian Megapode but probably close to Tongan Megapode.

Habitat

Moist lowland forests or thickets. Has also been recorded in gardens and degraded forest.
From sea-level up to c. 800 m.

Behaviour

Diet

Feeds on insects, grubs, snails, worms and other invertebrates. Takes also fruit, seeds and other plant matter.
Forages by scratching in damp leaf litter. Runs rather than flies away from danger.

Breeding

Breeding year-round, especially from June to August. Probably a monogamous species. Nests in burrows between decaying roots of trees, eggs are incubated in volcanically heated soils or sun-exposed beaches, possibly also in mounds. 20 to 100 eggs are laid by several females in a burrow.

Movements

A sedentary species. Sometimes flies off to roost on offshore islets.

References

  1. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2014. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: Version 6.9., with updates to August 2014. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
  2. Gill, F and D Donsker (Eds). 2015. IOC World Bird Names (version 5.2). Available at http://www.worldbirdnames.org/.
  3. Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved July 2015)

Recommended Citation

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