About This Blog

The Australian brushturkey (Alectura lathami) is a species of Galliform in the family Megapodiidae of eastern Australia. They inhabit mostly rainforests, but will live in drier scub habitats. They are large, communal birds living in social groups consisting of a dominant male, a few other males, and several females. Together, brushturkeys build large mounds in which they incubate the eggs of several females. The mounds are made from hollows in the ground filled with rotting compost and then topped with sand for insulation. These birds are notable in that the gender of their offspring is determined by temperature much like some species of reptiles. As a result, males carefully monitor the temperature of their nests using their beaks, attempting to keep a constant temperature of 34°C which results in an even amount of both genders. Warmer temperatures result in mostly females and cooler temperatures result in mostly males. After hatching, the chicks have to dig themselves out of the mound and are completely independent. Chicks are hatched well developed and can fly within a few hours of hatching. Australian brushturkeys are omnivores and forage for insects and fallen fruit on the ground. An illustration of a typical nest’s structure.

The Australian brushturkey (Alectura lathami) is a species of Galliform in the family Megapodiidae of eastern Australia. They inhabit mostly rainforests, but will live in drier scub habitats.

They are large, communal birds living in social groups consisting of a dominant male, a few other males, and several females. Together, brushturkeys build large mounds in which they incubate the eggs of several females. The mounds are made from hollows in the ground filled with rotting compost and then topped with sand for insulation. These birds are notable in that the gender of their offspring is determined by temperature much like some species of reptiles. As a result, males carefully monitor the temperature of their nests using their beaks, attempting to keep a constant temperature of 34°C which results in an even amount of both genders. Warmer temperatures result in mostly females and cooler temperatures result in mostly males. After hatching, the chicks have to dig themselves out of the mound and are completely independent. Chicks are hatched well developed and can fly within a few hours of hatching.

Australian brushturkeys are omnivores and forage for insects and fallen fruit on the ground.

An illustration of a typical nest’s structure.

3 months ago

  1. animalorama reblogged this from rhamphotheca
  2. wigmund reblogged this from rhamphotheca
  3. tjarrell reblogged this from rhamphotheca and added:
    That’s one cute turkey! My new favorite bird.
  4. you-make-the-wrinklefucker reblogged this from inhellsdespair and added:
    these things are soooooo annoying… they learned to wait until beach go-ers went for a swim to invade bags and baskets…...
  5. inhellsdespair reblogged this from rhamphotheca
  6. mosawfullygreatadventure reblogged this from rhamphotheca and added:
    i miss these guys!! I used to see them tending to their nests all over the UQ campus.
  7. mylastingsmile reblogged this from rhamphotheca
  8. justasweird reblogged this from rhamphotheca
  9. astrogasm reblogged this from rhamphotheca
  10. rhamphotheca reblogged this from eximago and added:
    Australian Brushturkey (Alectura lathami)
  11. oscarms reblogged this from eximago
  12. eximago reblogged this from eximago
  13. eximago posted this

1 ⁄ 1

- Inkhorn theme powered by Tumblr -