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Megapodes

Megapodes, a distinctive group of medium to large-sized terrestrial birds known for their large feet and heavy legs, are a common spectacle in the Australasian region, spanning across Australia, New Guinea, Indonesia's eastern islands, and the western Pacific's islands. These chicken-like birds, with their small heads, short beaks, powerful legs, and rounded wings, exhibit varying flying abilities. Notably, the megapodes are renowned for their unique reproduction method, as they do not use body warmth to incubate their eggs. Instead, they construct extensive mounds of decaying plant material or utilize natural heat sources like geothermal vents or sun-warmed sands to maintain egg temperature. With eggs rich in yolk, megapode chicks emerge highly developed, capable of running, foraging, and even flying shortly after hatching. This level of independence at birth is termed superprecociality, a trait that differentiates them from most other birds. While megapodes generally are solitary, the way these birds recognize their species' members at hatching remains a curiosity, as they lack parental instruction and seem to rely on instinctive visual cues. The more than 20 species of megapodes are classified within seven genera, characterized by clear physical forms, despite uncertainties in their evolutionary connections.

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Accentors
African & Green Broadbills
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Magpie Goose

Megapodes

Melampittas
Monarchs
Mottled Berryhunter
Nightjars
Northern Storm Petrels
Nuthatches
Old World Parrots
Old World Sparrows, Snowfinches
Ospreys
Owls
Oystercatchers
Painted-snipes
Parrotbills & Allies
Pelicans
Penduline Tits
Petrels, Shearwaters, Diving Petrels
Pheasants & Allies
Pigeons, Doves
Pittas
Ploughbill
Plovers
Rail-babbler
Rails, Crakes & Coots
Reed Warblers & Allies
Rollers
Sandpipers, Snipes
Shrikes
Sittellas
Skuas
Starlings, Rhabdornis
Stilts, Avocets
Stone-curlews, Thick-knees
Storks
Sunbirds
Swallows, Martins
Swifts
Sylviid Babblers
Thrushes
Tits, Chickadees
Treecreepers
Treeswifts
Trogons
Tropicbirds
Typical Broadbills
Vangas & Allies
Vireos, Greenlets, Shrike-babblers
Wagtails, Pipits
Wallcreeper
Waxbills, Munias & Allies
Waxwings
Weavers, Widowbirds
Whipbirds
Whistlers & Allies
White-eyes
Woodpeckers
Woodswallows, Butcherbirds & Allies
Wrens
Jayshrike

Biak Scrubfowl

Megapodius geelvinkianus

Black-billed Brushturkey

Talegalla fuscirostris

Collared Brushturkey

Talegalla jobiensis

Dusky Megapode

Megapodius freycinet

Maleo

Macrocephalon maleo

Moluccan Megapode

Eulipoa wallacei

New Guinea Scrubfowl

Megapodius decollatus
A photo of a Orange-footed Scrubfowl (Megapodius reinwardt)

Orange-footed Scrubfowl

Megapodius reinwardt

Philippine Megapode

Megapodius cumingii

Red-billed Brushturkey

Talegalla cuvieri

Sula Megapode

Megapodius bernsteinii

Tanimbar Megapode

Megapodius tenimberensis

Waigeo Brushturkey

Aepypodius bruijnii

Wattled Brushturkey

Aepypodius arfakianus
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Species Categories

AccentorsAfrican & Green BroadbillsAlbatrossesAlcippe FulvettasAnhingas, DartersAsian BarbetsAuksAustral Storm PetrelsAustralasian BabblersAustralasian RobinsAustralasian WarblersAustralasian WrensAustralo-Papuan BellbirdsBabblers, Scimitar BabblersBarn OwlsBee-eatersBirds-of-paradiseBoatbillsBristleheadBulbulsBuntingsBushtitsBustardsButtonquailCaracaras, FalconsCassowaries, EmuCettia Bush Warblers & AlliesChats, Old World FlycatchersCisticolas & AlliesCockatoosCormorants, ShagsCoursers, PratincolesCrab-ploverCranesCrombecs, African WarblersCrows, JaysCuckoosCuckooshrikesCupwingsDippersDrongosDucks, Geese, SwansElachuraFairy FlycatchersFairy-bluebirdsFantailsFigbirds, Orioles, TurnagraFinches, EuphoniasFinfootsFlamingosFlowerpeckersFlufftailsFrigatebirdsFrogmouthsGannets, BoobiesGoldcrests, KingletsGrassbirds & AlliesGrebesGround BabblersGulls, Terns, SkimmersHerons, BitternsHoneyeatersHoneyguidesHoopoesHornbillsHylocitreaIbisbillIbises, SpoonbillsIfritIndigobirds, WhydahsIorasJacanasJewel-babblers, Quail-thrushesKingfishersKites, Hawks, EaglesLarksLaughingthrushes & AlliesLeaf Warblers & AlliesLeafbirdsLongspurs, Snow BuntingsMagpie GooseMegapodesMelampittasMonarchsMottled BerryhunterNightjarsNorthern Storm PetrelsNuthatchesOld World ParrotsOld World Sparrows, SnowfinchesOspreysOwlsOystercatchersPainted-snipesParrotbills & AlliesPelicansPenduline TitsPetrels, Shearwaters, Diving PetrelsPheasants & AlliesPigeons, DovesPittasPloughbillPloversRail-babblerRails, Crakes & CootsReed Warblers & AlliesRollersSandpipers, SnipesShrikesSittellasSkuasStarlings, RhabdornisStilts, AvocetsStone-curlews, Thick-kneesStorksSunbirdsSwallows, MartinsSwiftsSylviid BabblersThrushesTits, ChickadeesTreecreepersTreeswiftsTrogonsTropicbirdsTypical BroadbillsVangas & AlliesVireos, Greenlets, Shrike-babblersWagtails, PipitsWallcreeperWaxbills, Munias & AlliesWaxwingsWeavers, WidowbirdsWhipbirdsWhistlers & AlliesWhite-eyesWoodpeckersWoodswallows, Butcherbirds & AlliesWrensJayshrike

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