Megapodes Research Articles

Selection of Incubation Mound Sites by Three Sympatric Megapodes in Papua New Guinea

Abstract I report nonrandom selection of sites for incubation mounds and interspecific sharing of mounds by three sympatric megapodes (Wattled Brush-turkey [Aepypodius arfakianus], Brown-collared Talegalla [Talegalla jobiensis] and New Guinea Megapode [Megapodius decollatus]) in the Crater Mountain Wildlife Management Area in the eastern highlands of Papua New Guinea. Talegallas used mounds concurrently with New Guinea Megapodes, and renovated brush-turkey mounds after the latter species had finished breeding. New Guinea Megapodes and brush-turkeys did not use the same mounds. Analysis of 18 environmental variables at 80 mound sites and 91 random points showed that (1) mound sites of the three species differed significantly from random points. Mounds were associated with large trees and in less disturbed habitat, characteristics which contribute to the functioning of the mound. (2) Mound sites of the three species differed from each other. Brush-turkey sites were steeper, and had fewer and smaller trees in the mound and more herbs in the surrounding forest than those of the other two species. New Guinea Megapode and talegalla sites were not clearly separated. (3) Some important environmental variables had significant effects of study location and location × species, suggesting that inter- and intraspecific differences in mound sites are dependent on the habitat in which the mounds are located. Given this, caution should be applied to generalizations about widespread species from site-selection studies in a small subset of habitats. I recommended landowners be advised not to locate gardens or cut trees close to mounds, and exclude some areas from logging concessions and mining leases. Selección de Sitios para Montículos de Incubación en Tres Megapódidos Simpátricos de Papua Nueva Guinea Resumen. Se reporta la selección no azarosa de sitios para incubación y como comparten estos sitios tres especies simpátricas de la familia de Megapodiidae (Aepypodius arfakianus, Talegalla jobiensis y Megapodius decollatus) en tres sitios en el área de manejo de vida silvestre Crater Mountain en las tierras altas del este de Papua Nueva Guinea. Individuos de Talegalla usaron los sitios al mismo tiempo que Megapodius, pero utilizaron sitios de Aepypodius después que ésta los abandonara. Un análisis sobre 18 características ambientales de 80 sitios y 91 puntos ubicados al azar indicó que (1) Las características ambientales de los sitios de incubación de las tres especies fueron significativamente diferentes de las registradas en puntos al azar. Los sitios de incubación se concentraron en áreas con árboles grandes y en áreas con menos perturbación que los puntos azarosos, factores que contribuyen a la función del sitio. (2) Las tres especies utilizaron sitios diferentes: Aepypodius utilizó sitios con mayor pendiente, con menos árboles y de menor tamaños, y con mayor cobertura herbacea en el bosque circundante, que las otras dos especies. Los sitios de Megapodius y de Talegalla no se distinguieron claramente uno de otro. (3) Algunas variables ambientales importantes tuvieron efectos significativos de ubicación y de ubicación × especies, lo cual sugiere que las diferencias entre y dentro de cada especies dependieron del hábitat en el cual se encontraban. Dados estos resultados, se recomienda precaución al generalizar los resultados para especies con amplia distribución geográfica basados en áreas pequeñas. Se recomienda no sembrar, ni cortar árboles cerca de los sitios de incubación, y que algunas áreas sean excluídas de las conseciones para actividades forestales y de mineras.

A giant flightless pigeon gen. et sp. nov. and a new species of Ducula (Aves: Columbidae), from Quaternary deposits in Fiji

A new genus and species are erected for a giant flightless pigeon described from post‐cranial fossil bones from four Quaternary sites on Viti Levu, Fiji, in the South Pacific Lack of cranial material and transformations associated with large size and loss of flight obscure its relationships, but some characters of the tarsometatarsus, tibiotarsus, and humerus are closer to Goura than to any other taxon The new taxon approaches the dodo and the solitaire in size, but its wings were not as reduced as in these Mascarene birds A tentatively referred premaxilla suggests that the Fiji bird had an unspecialised bill It coexisted with a similar sized, flightless megapode, a terrestrial crocodilian, and a giant iguana, which were the largest animals in prehuman Fiji A new volant species of Ducula is described from Lakeba Island in the Lau Group, Fiji that was larger than any extant Ducula, and had more elongate tarsometatarsi than Ducula david, the largest described fossil species Bones of a Ducula similar in size to the Lakeba pigeon are reported from Viti Levu

Notes on Nesting Holes of a Megapode

Notes on Nesting Holes of a Megapode

Material for a Study of the Megapodiidae

Material for a Study of the Megapodiidae

Material for a Study of the Megapodiidae

Material for a Study of the Megapodiidae

Megapode Mounds and Pits

Megapode Mounds and Pits