Eulipoa wallacei
The Moluccan Megapode (Eulipoa wallacei) is a striking, medium-sized ground-dwelling bird endemic to the Moluccan Islands of Indonesia. Measuring approximately 30-32 cm (12-12.5 inches) in length and weighing around 500 grams (1.1 lbs), it boasts a distinctive appearance. Its plumage is primarily dark olive-brown on the back and wings, contrasting with a greyish breast and a pale, almost white belly. A key field mark is the bright, almost iridescent blue-grey facial skin around the eye, exten...
This megapode primarily inhabits lowland and hill primary rainforests, often close to coastal areas where suitable sandy nesting sites are available. It can be found from sea level up to elevations of approximately 1,800 meters (5,900 feet).
Its diet primarily consists of various invertebrates, including insects, worms, and mollusks, supplemented by fallen fruits and seeds scavenged from the forest floor. It forages by vigorously scratching the ground with its strong feet.
The Moluccan Megapode is largely nocturnal, foraging for food under the cover of darkness and roosting silently in dense undergrowth during the day, making it notoriously difficult to observe. Its foraging strategy involves diligently scratching through leaf litter and loose soil using its strong...
The Moluccan Megapode is endemic to the Moluccan Islands of Indonesia, with its primary distribution concentrated on larger islands such as Halmahera, Buru, Seram, Obi, and Ambon. Smaller populations may also exist on several adjacent islets. It is a resident, non-migratory species, with populati...
Near Threatened
- The Moluccan Megapode is one of the few truly nocturnal ground birds, a rare trait among galliformes. - Unlike most birds, it does not incubate its own eggs; instead, it buries them in naturally heated sand or volcanic soil. - Chicks are super-precocial, hatching fully feathered, alert, and cap...