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Megapodes, scrubfowl, brush turkeys
Order:
Galliformes
Family: Megapodiidae
12 species
Australia and S. Pacific islands;
50-71 cm; terrestrial; essentially sedentary; some species with neck wattles or head casques; small head; wings short, rounded; legs, feet, and claws strong; bill short, downcurved, with overlapping tip;
feed on plant matter and invertebrates;
mounds up to 12 m diameter and 5 m high; incubation by natural heat, often regulated by males adding or removing compost; 5-35 eggs buried in sand, volcanic ash, or decaying vegetation; sexes similar; young most highly precocial; no post-hatching parental care.