The malleefowl is the Australian bird famous for laying eggs in a mound and leaving incubation to environmental heat.
Malleefowl are megapodes, a group of birds that use decaying vegetation as a natural incubator. The male builds a mound from sand, leaves and plant litter, then monitors its temperature by opening and closing the mound. Solar warmth and decomposition help maintain the conditions needed for the eggs to develop.
Females lay several eggs over time, and the eggs are unusually large relative to the bird’s body. The chicks hatch with developed feathers and leave the mound without parental assistance. They can walk and forage soon after emerging, an unusual level of independence among birds.
Malleefowl inhabit dry woodland and shrubland in parts of southern Australia. Their populations have been affected by habitat loss, changed fire patterns and introduced predators such as foxes. The malleefowl is different from the Australian brush turkey, which uses a similar incubation strategy but occupies generally wetter habitats in eastern Australia.