This is one of three Australian species in the family Megapodiidae. The name Megapode refers to their large feet. All three are Mound Builders where females lay enormous eggs within the mound built by the male. They rely on the heat produced from the decaying compost for incubation. The chicks are highly precocial and said to be capable of flight immediately after hatching. The species was unusually abundant and confiding around Darwin. In Eastern Australia they seemed to be much more skittish. Subspecies are poorly differentiated. NT birds are usually assigned to the larger, darker M. r. tumulus.
Digiscoped with Panasonic DMC-LZ5 | Nikon FieldScope III | 30XWA | hand-held (no adapter)