Maleo vs Red-billed Brushturkey
Macrocephalon maleo compared with Talegalla cuvieri
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Maleo | Red-billed Brushturkey |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Macrocephalon maleo | Talegalla cuvieri |
| Order | Galliformes | Galliformes |
| Family | Megapodiidae | Megapodiidae |
| Conservation Status | Critically Endangered | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 58.2 cm (22.9 in) | 55.0 cm (21.7 in) |
| Weight | 1543.75 g (54.45 oz) | 1785.0 g (62.96 oz) |
| Diet | Forages in Sulawesi lowland forests for fallen fruits, seeds, and invertebrates scratched from soil and … | Omnivorous; forages in lowland New Guinea forests for fallen fruits, seeds, and invertebrates scratched from … |
| Clutch Size | 10 | -- |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Maleo
Emits a loud, resonant boom call and deep clucking notes. The male's loud, far-carrying boom echoes across Sulawesi coastal forest; a dramatic sound during pre-dawn megapode activity.
Red-billed Brushturkey
Produces loud, resonant booming calls and guttural clucking notes. The deep, carrying boom is the primary territorial sound; heard at dawn in New Guinea lowland forest.
Geographic Range & Migration
Maleo
Endemic to Sulawesi, Indonesia. Found in lowland forest near geothermal areas used for nest incubation. Largely confined to coastal lowlands.
Red-billed Brushturkey
Endemic to the Vogelkop Peninsula and Misool Island of western New Guinea. Found in lowland and hill rainforest.
Conservation Status
Maleo
Red-billed Brushturkey
How to Tell Them Apart
Maleo
Upperparts black with brownish gloss; underparts white washed salmon-pink on breast and flanks; bare facial skin yellow with rounded black casque on crown. Bill yellowish; legs grey.
Red-billed Brushturkey
Dark brownish-black overall with bare red facial skin and distinctive bright red bill; throat wattle yellow with red suffusion. Upperparts show faint brownish gloss; tail broad and black.
About These Birds
Maleo
A distinctive megapode (~1.5 kg) of family Megapodiidae, with a black casque on the crown, bare red facial skin, and salmon-tinted underparts. Endemic to Sulawesi, Indonesia. Travels to communal beach or geothermal nesting sites where solar or volcanic heat incubates eggs buried in sand. Critically Endangered due to habitat destruction, egg collection, and hunting.
Red-billed Brushturkey
A large megapode (~1.8 kg) of family Megapodiidae, bearing a vivid red bill contrasting with black and white plumage. Endemic to lowland and hill forests of western New Guinea. Constructs large mound nests of decaying vegetation for egg incubation without parental brooding. Forages on the forest floor for fruits, seeds, and invertebrates. Least Concern.