Moluccan Megapode

Moluccan Megapode
Conservation status
Vulnerable (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Galliformes
Family:	Megapodiidae
Genus:	Eulipoa Ogilvie-Grant, 1893
Species:	E. wallacei
Binomial name
Eulipoa wallacei (Gray, 1860)

The Moluccan Megapode, Eulipoa wallacei, also known as Wallace's Scrubfowl, Moluccan Scrubfowl or Painted Megapode, is a small, approximately 31cm long, olive-brown megapode. The genus Eulipoa is monotypic, but the Moluccan Megapode is sometimes placed in Megapodius instead. Both sexes are similar with an olive-brown plumage, bluish-grey below, white undertail coverts, brown iris, bare pink facial skin, bluish-yellow bill and dark olive legs. There are light grey stripes on reddish-maroon feathers on its back. The young has brownish plumage, a black bill, legs and hazel iris.

An Indonesian endemic, the Moluccan Megapode is confined to hill and mountain forests Maluku Islands of Halmahera, Buru, Seram, Ambon, Ternate, Haruku and Bacan. It also found in Misool Island of West Papua province.

The Moluccan Megapode is the only megapode known to lay its eggs nocturnally. The nesting grounds are usually located in sun-exposed beach or volcanic soils.

Due to ongoing habitat loss, limited range and overhunting in some areas, the Moluccan Megapode is evaluated as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

References

• BirdLife International (2004). Eulipoa wallacei. 2006. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. www.iucnredlist.org. Retrieved on 6 October 2011. Database entry includes justification for why this species is vulnerable

External links

• BirdLife Species Factsheet
• IUCN Red List