THE EMBLEM OF THE MALLEE...

The malleefowl (Leipoa ocellata) is a ground-dwelling, medium-sized bird. Being part of the megapode family, these birds spend most of their time scratching the leaf litter for seeds and little animals and possess only a short burst of flight.

The malleefowl is sometimes called 'the mound builder' due to its enormous ground nest. This mound of leaf litter, sticks and sand can weigh up to a whopping 2 tons! The base core of the nest is made up of rotting compost, which generates heat from underneath. The outer layer is composed of sand for adjustable insulation, and the eggs themselves are in the egg chamber in the middle. The pair works the nest according to the weather. With their large, powerful feet, they can shift up to a ton of sand until midday and then shift it back for the night.
Once hatched, the chicks must dig themselves out of the heavy sand and, after a few minutes' rest, disappear into the dense scrub and fend for themselves.

Once found over most of the Australian continent, the Malleefowl population has suffered due to the introduction of feral predators such as the red fox and the destruction of its habitat. Human-induced climate change is causing severe droughts within its range and so threatens the entire environment.

The malleefowl is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List with decreasing populations.