Indonesia is a mega biodiversity
country, home to various animal and plant species, which is hypothetically
divided between the Wallacea and Weber lines. These two lines separate the
geographical areas of Asian and Australasian animals. The western part of this
line is related to Asian species, and to the east is mostly related to
Australian species and the intermediate region between them. One of the
diversity of the animal species typical of the Wallacea ecosystem is the Maleo
bird (Macrocephalon maleo).
Maleo is the most unusual bird in
Sulawesi. This endemic bird is a member of a small family of so-called
incubator birds, the Megapodidae, which are of Australian origin. The Maleo
size 55 – 60 cm, it is about the size of a domestic hen (1,6 kg) but its stylish
black-and-salmon plumage and cocked tail give the bird a more classy appearance. Adult
Maleo has distinctive brown-black upperparts and pink-white underparts, bill
and bare facial skin variably pink and yellow, horny casque on the crown.
Maleo does not lay their eggs in a nest
or incubate them with body heat. Instead, they bury them near hot springs,
volcanic vents or along exposed beaches where they are hatched by the sun, or
by geothermal heat. The Megapodes and the Egyptian Plover are the only birds in
the world that do not use their own body heat for incubation. Maleo nests in the open sandy areas,
areas around the coast of the volcano, and areas warm from geothermal heat to
hatch their large eggs, reaching five times bigger than chicken eggs. After hatching, the juvenile will dig his way out of the ground and hide in the forest. During
the egg-laying season, males and females arrive at communal nesting grounds,
generally at night, and take turns the following morning digging deep holes in
which the female will deposit an egg every 10 days or so. After the pair covers
their eggs, they return to the forest and have nothing more to do with their
developing chicks. Hatching takes place after 3 months and it is probably the
most challenging event of a Maleo’s life. Maleo can reach the age of 25 – 30
years and reach adulthood productivity after 4 years.
Maleos are communal nesters with
hundreds of breeding pairs digging at one site. Experts estimate that there are
50 active sites in Sulawesi and most of these are found in Central and North Sulawesi.
Nesting grounds at Bogani Nani Wartabone National
Park is among several active sites. The Maleo is now Sulawesi’s most
endangered bird species. Egg hunters, however, continue to undermine
conservation efforts and the future survival of this unique Sulawesi bird
remains tenuous.
Feel interested to see this classy and stylish bird with its beauty and uniqueness? Please do not hesitate to contact us! Sultan Birding Tours Indonesia offers a range of private and small group birding tours throughout Sulawesi cover Birding Sulawesi, Birdwatching Sulawesi, Sulawesi Birding, Sulawesi Birdwatching, Tangkoko birdwatching, Birding Tangkoko, Birding Lore Lindu National Park, Gunung Ambang Birdwatching, Dumoga bone Park Birdwatching and birding in Gunung Mahawu.
