Australian Brush-turkey (Alectura lathami)
Image credit: J.J. Harrison via Wikimedia Commons, Creative Commons License 3.0.
(This is a cropped image.)
| Taxonomy | Physical Characteristics |
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Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves — birds Order: Galliformes — fowls, gallinaceous birds (e.g., turkeys, grouse, chickens, quails, partridge, pheasant) Family: Megapodiidae — megapodes (brush turkey, malleefowl, scrubfowl) Genus: Alectura Species: Alectura lathami — Australian Brush-turkey Subspecies: Alectura lathami lathami — Yellow-wattled Brush-turkey, Yellow-pouched Brush-turkey |
Body Weight Body Length Tail Length *Small sample size (n ≤ 5)
Coloration |
| Distribution & Status | Behavior & Ecology |
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Range Habitat IUCN Status CITES Appendix Other Designations Populations in the Wild |
Locomotion Activity Cycle Social Groups Diet Predators |
| Reproduction & Development | Species Highlights |
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Sexual Maturity Incubation Period Clutch Size Weight at Hatching Typical Life Expectancy |
Feature Facts
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For detailed information, click the tabs at the top of this page.
© 2018 San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance
How to cite: Australian Brush-turkey (Alectura lathami) Fact Sheet. c2018. San Diego (CA): San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance; [accessed YYYY Mmm dd]. http://ielc.libguides.com/sdzg/factsheets/ australian-brush-turkey
(note: replace YYYY Mmm dd with date accessed, e.g., 2018 Mar 10)
Disclaimer: Although San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance makes every attempt to provide accurate information, some of the facts provided may become outdated or replaced by new research findings. Questions and comments may be addressed to library@sdzwa.org.
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Many thanks to Prof. Darryl N. Jones for providing expert content review of this fact sheet. Professor Jones has been conducting research on the Australian Brush-turkey and many other megapodes (mound-builders) for over 30 years. Dr. Jones has studied Brush-turkeys in Papua New Guinea and Australia, where he currently investigates how these birds use garden habitats. As a behavioral ecologist, he is interested in how birds adapt to urban areas, and interactions between birds and humans. His work also focuses on road ecology, wildlife management, and climate–ecology issues. Dr. Jones is co-author of Mound-Builders (2008) and the authoritative monograph, The Megapodes (1995). His popular science books, The Birds at My Table (2018) and Feeding the Birds at Your Table, examine what motivates people to feed birds and how this practice affects bird health and behavior. |
He holds positions as Professor and Deputy Director of the Environmental Futures Centre at Griffith University in Brisbane Australia, and has long been involved with IUCN’s megapode conservation efforts.
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Thank you to Chad Staples, who shared his knowledge of Brush-turkey husbandry for the Managed Care section of this fact sheet. Mr. Staples, Director of Life Sciences at Featherdale Wildlife Park, has extensive experience providing care for Australian birds. As Director, Mr. Staples develops Featherdale’s collections, supervises husbandry staff, participates in education and conservation outreach programs, and consults with other zoos around the world. |
Learn more about Chad Staples’ career at Featherdale Wildlife Park.
