A bird very few have even
heard of, the Maleo, is found
only on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi. They
have black upper parts and white under parts that are tinted with a rosy salmon
color. Their head is adorned with
a helmet casque, which is thought to protect them from the sun.
The Maleo is
about the size of a domestic hen.
It is included in a group
of birds called the Megapodes,
or family Megapodiidae. They are
characterized by small heads and big feet! They are the only group of birds that do not use their own
body heat to incubate their eggs.
The Maleo in particular will bury them in open sandy areas, volcanic
soils, or beaches so the sun or geothermal energy can heat the eggs. Some other Megapode species will use
fermenting compost to incubate their eggs! The male and female Maleo will take turns digging holes for
the eggs. After they cover the eggs,
the parents have nothing more to do with them.
The Maleo’s egg is about
five times larger than a domestic chicken’s egg. It contains a huge yolk that offers plenty of nourishment
for the chick to grow enough to be fully independent upon hatching. The young birds will have to dig their
way up and out of the sand and run to the forest for cover. Unearthing itself from the ground is
probably the most difficult part of the bird’s life. It can take several days and predators like monitor lizards,
snakes, and feral cats and dogs may be near. (This reminds me of a sea turtle hatchling’s journey!) The Maleo hatchlings are fully capable
of flight and must find food and defend themselves on their own.
The Maleo is listed as
endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. They have been protected by the
Indonesian government since 1972.
Unsustainable harvesting of eggs combined with human disturbance of nesting
grounds has led to the abandonment of many nesting areas and continues to be
the major threat to those remaining.
Forest destruction and fragmentation threaten surviving populations as
well.
In 2009, the U.S. based
Wildlife Conservation Society and other local environmental groups purchased a
36-acre stretch of beach on Sulawesi for $12,500 to help preserve the
Maleo. The birds nesting there now
have their own private beach! The
protected area has also raised awareness about the bird.
If you want to help
endangered birds, the World Bird Sanctuary’s mission is to secure the future of
threatened bird species in their natural environments. You can help us fulfill our mission by
simply visiting us and spreading what you’ve learned, becoming a Member or
Friend, or adopting-a-bird and helping to feed that bird for a year!
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