>One factor affecting megapode distribution appears to be presence of
>predators. Throughout south-east Asia you only really get megapodes on
>off-shore islands without civets and wild pigs. In Australia goannas would
>have the main predators, of eggs at least, until we brought in dingos, foxes
>and pigs (although thylacines might have limited megapode abundance in
>woodlands).
>
>Now the Malleefowl has a shrunken distribution due to habitat clearance,
>changed fire regimes and fox predation, and continues to be in trouble. I
>suggest that it may have not so much retreated to prime "core" habitat, as
>having relictual populations in marginal habitat where fox density is lowest.
>
>Since we are soon going to be a manager of Malleefowl habitat, we need to
>understand the dynamics of Malleefowl ecology. What do we do? Reduce water
>sources, rabbits, foxes and fire frequencies? What about effects on other
>fauna and flora? We live in suddenly more interesting times.
>
>Cheers, Hugo.
>
>Late north wind
>Scorched umber haze
>Mallee dust cakes my nostrils
>
>Hugo Phillipps,
>Birds Australia Conservation & Liaison,
>Australian Bird Research Centre,
>415 Riversdale Road,
>Hawthorn East, VIC 3123, Australia.
>Tel: +61 3 9882 2622. Fax: +61 3 9882 2677.
>Email: <>
>The Virtual Emu: http://www.vicnet.net.au/~raou/raou.html
We have two Megapodes who regularly scratch around in our garden (much to
my wife's chargrin). There are a number of them around Darwin, especially
in Coconut Grove.
BrianG
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