Australian Brushturkey vs Moluccan Scrubfowl
Alectura lathami compared with Eulipoa wallacei
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Australian Brushturkey | Moluccan Scrubfowl |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Alectura lathami | Eulipoa wallacei |
| Order | Galliformes | Galliformes |
| Family | Megapodiidae | Megapodiidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Vulnerable |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 58.0 cm (22.8 in) | 38.6 cm (15.2 in) |
| Weight | 2390.0 g (84.30 oz) | 503.3333333333333 g (17.75 oz) |
| Diet | Omnivorous; scratches leaf litter for invertebrates, fungi, fallen fruits, and seeds in Australian rainforests and … | Forages in Moluccan island forests for fallen fruits, seeds, and invertebrates. Uses strong legs to … |
| Clutch Size | 15-27 | 1 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
Australian Brushturkey only
Moluccan Scrubfowl only
None
Song & Call Comparison
Australian Brushturkey
Produces a loud, resonant booming call and deep guttural clucking notes. Territorial males call with repeated, low-pitched booming that carries through Australian coastal rainforest vegetation.
Moluccan Scrubfowl
Produces a loud, wailing cackle and deep booming territorial calls. The penetrating, wailing screech is startling and carries far across Moluccan secondary forest at night.
Geographic Range & Migration
Australian Brushturkey
Resident along the eastern coast of Australia from Cape York Peninsula to eastern Victoria. Found in rainforest and wet sclerophyll forest.
Moluccan Scrubfowl
Endemic to the Maluku Islands of eastern Indonesia, including Halmahera, Seram, and surrounding islands. Found in lowland and foothill forest.
Conservation Status
Australian Brushturkey
Moluccan Scrubfowl
How to Tell Them Apart
Australian Brushturkey
Predominantly glossy black with bare red head and neck; bright yellow wattle hangs from base of neck. Underparts show fine white barring on lower belly; tail is laterally flattened and …
Moluccan Scrubfowl
Upperparts grey-brown with dark brown barring; underparts pale grey-white; head and neck medium grey with bare pinkish-red facial skin. Tail dark brown; legs and feet large and pale pinkish.
About These Birds
Australian Brushturkey
A large megapode (~2.4 kg) of family Megapodiidae, with bare red head, yellow wattle, and dark body. Inhabits rainforests and scrublands of eastern Australia. Males construct massive compost mounds of leaf litter to incubate eggs using fermentation heat, adjusting mound size to regulate temperature. Omnivorous. Least Concern; increasingly adapting to suburban gardens.
Moluccan Scrubfowl
A small megapode (~500 g) of family Megapodiidae, endemic to the Maluku Islands of eastern Indonesia. Inhabits coastal forests and beach-forest edges where volcanic or solar-heated sand provides incubation heat for eggs. Feeds on seeds, fallen fruits, and invertebrates. Vulnerable due to intensive egg collection, coastal habitat loss, and limited island range.