Wattled Brushturkey
Aepypodius arfakianus
A large, black ground bird of montane rainforests. Bare facial skin is pale-blue in the male and dull gray in the female. Red wattles on the head and chest are reduced in the female. Very shy and difficult to see. Roams the forest floor, scraping leaves to uncover fallen fruit, seeds and invertebrates. Similar to other brushturkeys but Wattled has a vertically-flattened tail with maroon rump and darker legs. Usually quiet but can give a sharp series of “ki! kekekekekeke” with the first note higher.
Identification
It is a comparatively large for megapodes with some noticeable sexual dimorphism. Adults are on average, 46cm long with a weight between 1.2 to 1.6 kg. Females have a dull grey bare facial skin, whereas the males are pale-blue. Moreover, the red wattles on the head and chest is enlarged in the male, whilst it is reduced for females. Overall, they are similar to other brushturkeys but the wattled brushturkey has a vertically-flattened tail with maroon rump and darker legs.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Aepypodius arfakianus
- Authority
- (Salvadori, 1877)
- Order
- Galliformes
- Family
- Megapodiidae
- Genus
- Aepypodius
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
These birds have an incredibly wide range, making them resilient against human impacts, with a breeding range of approximately 685,000 km2.<p>They are very shy birds and locating them is difficult. These omnivorous birds often forage on the ground floor, scraping leaves to uncover fallen fruit, seeds and invertebrates.
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
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