Malleefowl
A species of Malleefowl Scientific name : Leipoa ocellata Genus : Malleefowl
Malleefowl, A species of Malleefowl
Botanical name: Leipoa ocellata
Genus: Malleefowl
Content
Description General Info
Photo By Don Roberson 
Description
The malleefowl (Leipoa ocellata) is a stocky ground-dwelling Australian bird about the size of a domestic chicken (to which it is distantly related). It is notable for the large nesting mounds constructed by the males and lack of parental care after the chicks hatch. It is the only living representative of the genus Leipoa, though the extinct giant malleefowl was a close relative. 
Size
60 cm
Feeding Habits
Malleefowl mainly feeds on buds, fruits, and seeds, especially legumes, varying seasonally with an intake of herbs, insects, and occasional fungi. Feeding on encountered invertebrates like beetles and ants without actively hunting them, malleefowl shows a dietary preference for legume seeds in summer and herbs in cooler months. Hatchlings can consume insects soon after hatching, diverging from adults' seed-centric diet.
Habitat
The malleefowl is typically found in semi-arid woodland and scrubland environments within the temperate zone, flourishing in areas dominated by dwarf mallee eucalypts and where there's a higher annual rainfall. The species also inhabits mulga-dominated regions and adapts to living among other Acacia and Callitris species, as well as in dry coastal heathland. Their favored habitats possess an almost complete tree canopy, supplemented by a rich understory of shrubs, yet have relatively open ground. Nearby abundant food sources are crucial to support the male's intensive nurturing of the nesting mound during breeding periods.
Dite type
Omnivorous
General Info
Behavior
Malleefowl are shy, wary, solitary birds that usually fly only to escape danger or reach a tree to roost in. Although very active, they are seldom seen as they freeze if disturbed, relying on their intricately patterned plumage to render them invisible, or else fade silently and rapidly into the undergrowth (flying away only if surprised or chased). They have many tactics to run away from predators.
Distribution Area
It occupies semiarid mallee scrub on the fringes of the relatively fertile areas of southern Australia, where it is now reduced to three separate populations: the Murray-Murrumbidgee basin, west of Spencer Gulf along the fringes of the Simpson Desert, and the semiarid fringe of Western Australia's fertile southwest corner.
Species Status
Across its range, the malleefowl is considered to be threatened. Predation from the introduced red fox is a factor, but the critical issues are changed fire regimens and the ongoing destruction and habitat fragmentation. Like the southern hairy-nose wombat, it is particularly vulnerable to the increasing frequency and severity of drought that has resulted from climate change. Before the arrival of Europeans, the malleefowl was found over huge swaths of Australia.
Photo By Don Roberson 
Scientific Classification
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