GALLIFORMES: Megapodiidae

Leipoa ocellata  

Vik Dunis: Malleefowl
© Vik Dunis 2011
Coorong National Park, SA (Jan, 2011)

A Malleefowl working its mound in the Coorong National Park.

Malleefowls regulate the temperature for the eggs incubating in the mound by adjusting the covering of sand and vegetation over the eggs.

When the chicks hatch, they dig themselves out of the mound and immediately head off on their own, looking after themselves from day one.

Vik: Malleefowl

Malleefowl

Vik: Malleefowl

Malleefowl mound

Vik: Malleefowl

Malleefowl

Vik: Malleefowl

Pair of Malleefowl

Vik: Malleefowl

Pair of Malleefowl

Vik: Malleefowl

Malleefowl

Vik: Malleefowl

Malleefowl

Kay: Malleefowl

Malleefowl

Kay: Malleefowl

Malleefowl

Kay: Malleefowl

Malleefowl

Kay: Malleefowl

Malleefowl

Kay: Malleefowl

Malleefowl