Justification This species has been reclassified as Endangered owing to field research which has clarified that it has a very small range and population, which are undergoing a continuing decline owing to a number of factors including logging, fire, hunting and predation by dogs.

Family/Sub-family Megapodiidae

Species name author (Oustalet, 1880)

Taxonomic source(s) Sibley and Monroe (1990, 1993)

Identification 43 cm. Large megapode with wattles. Dull brown plumage, greyer on upperparts and more chestnut on breast, with pinkish naked face. Male has small red comb and three pendulous red wattles. Similar spp. Much larger than Dusky Megapode Megapodius freycinet, with conspicuous tail and different head pattern. Wattled Brush-turkey A. arfakianus of New Guinea has blackish plumage, bluish-white face and single wattle. Voice Unknown, but probably short series of explosive crowing or honking. Hints Ask villagers familiar with interior Waigeo to find an active nest-mound.

Population estimate

Population trend

Range estimate (breeding/resident)

Country endemic?

980

decreasing

840 km²

Yes

Range & population Aepypodius bruijnii is endemic to Waigeo, West Papuan Islands, Indonesia, where until recently it was known only from 21 specimens (most recently collected in 1938)^6,7,8 with the only specified locality being Jeimon, on the east side of Majalibit Bay. Despite more than 15 ornithological expeditions and reconnaissance visits actively searching for this bird it was not relocated until 2002, when one was seen in hill ridgetop forest on Mount Nok near Majalibit Bay^9,12; a subsequent two-month survey revealed 28 incubation mounds in a relatively small area^10,12. Ten sites at appropriate elevation are known, not all of which have confirmed records of the species¹³. However, only three are large enough to potentially hold viable populations: Mt Danai (36.2 km², 600-950 m), Mnier Hills (10.7 km², 600-870 m) and Mt Sau Lal (8 km², 600-970 m); the species's occurrence in the first two sites has yet to be confirmed, but is very likely¹³. The remaining sites range from 33 to 255 ha¹³. The known population totals 47 mound-owning males or 84 mature individuals¹³and its global population is estimated at 349 mound-owning males or 977 mature individuals¹³. The large number of historical specimens suggests a serious historical decline.

Ecology: It is a low density inhabitant of mountain forests above 620 m¹³, including the extremely rugged karst interior of the island. Males appear to be sedentary, although females may wander into the lowlands in years of drought¹³. There may be some resource partitioning with M. freycinet, which occurs widely in coastal areas and on the slopes up to 400 m³. Like other brush-turkeys, males build mounds for the incubation of the eggs¹². There is no information on diet or foraging behaviour⁹.

Threats Waigeo's rugged relief, lack of infrastructure and apparently entirely intact forest suggest that there are no current threats to the species from logging or agriculture^4,6,9. A proposed reduction in the size of the existing reserve on Waigeo and the prospect of cobalt or nickel mining in the Mnier Hills and the Mt Sau Lal region has been a concern since the late 1980s, and is apparently still being actively pursued^4,14. Selective logging and subsequent burning is known to be taking place at a rapid pace in the lowlands, rendering montane subpopulations isolated¹³. Hunting is speculated to be a problem⁴, but may of only negligable effect¹³. The south-east corner of the island was ravaged by fire in 1982, perhaps rendering it unsuitable for the species³. The introduction of predators, such as feral dogs, represents a potential threat, especially since rogue dogs are currently thought to be a problem at least locally^2,9,13.

Conservation measures underway Cagar Alam Waigeo Barat Nature Reserve was established in the late 1980s, covering 1,530 km², slightly less than half the island^4,6.

Conservation measures proposed Convert Waigeo's 'paper parks' into a single integrated, properly demarcated, meaningful protected area with national park status and multiple-usage zonations demarcated following consultation with local communities. Set up an island-wide awareness campaign to prevent future wild fires. Declare the species's core locations as strictly no hunting areas. Conduct additional field work in order to establish with absolute certainty that populations are present at all inferred sites. Establish beyond reasonable doubt whether the species is indeed absent from Batanta. Study nesting site philopatry and the extent of gene flow across locations, preferably using a non-invasive molecular technique. Study the impact of ENSO-induced drought events on the species's reproductive success.

References Baker et al. (in press). 1. K. D. Bishop and J. M. Diamond in litt. (2000). 2. Dekker (1989). 3. Dekker and Argeloo (1993). 4. Dekker and McGowan (1995). 5. Dekker et al. (2000). 6. Holmes (1989). 7. Jones et al. (1995). 8. Voisin et al. (2000). 9. Mauro (2002). 10. R. W. R. J. Dekker in litt. (2003). 11. I. Mauro in litt. (2004). 12. Mauro (2005). 13. Mauro (2006). 14. Hermanto in litt. (2007).

Further web sources of information

Fully detailed species accounts from the Threatened birds of Asia: the BirdLife International Red Data Book (BirdLife International 2001), together with new information collated since the publication of the Red Data Book

Text account compilers Phil Benstead (BirdLife International), Pete Davidson (BirdLife International), Guy Dutson (Birds Australia), Guy Dutson (BirdLife International), Matt Harding (BirdLife International), Simon Mahood (BirdLife International)

Contributors K. David Bishop (VENT Bird Tours), Charles Davies, Rene Dekker (Megapode Specialist Group), J. M. Diamond, . Hermanto, Iwein Mauro

IUCN Red List evaluators Stuart Butchart (BirdLife International), Simon Mahood (BirdLife International)

Recommended citation BirdLife International (2009) Species factsheet: Aepypodius bruijnii. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 9/2/2010

This information is based upon, and updates, the information published in BirdLife International (2000) Threatened birds of the world. Barcelona and Cambridge, UK: Lynx Edicions and BirdLife International, BirdLife International (2004) Threatened birds of the world 2004 CD-ROM and BirdLife International (2008) Threatened birds of the world 2008 CD-ROM. These sources provide the information for species accounts for the birds on the IUCN Red List.

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