Justification This distinctive megapode is classified as Endangered because it has undergone a very rapid decline, which is projected to continue based on levels of exploitation and declines in extent and quality of habitat, combined with the fact that it has a small population, which continues to experience severe fragmentation.

Family/Sub-family Megapodiidae

Species name author Müller, 1846

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

Identification 55-60 cm. Unmistakable, very large, black-and-white megapode with medium-length tail. Prominent, bony, dark casque (horny cephalon on crown), stout, pale bill and bare, yellowish facial skin. White underparts variably sullied pink on breast and belly, thighs black. Voice Several different vocalisations, including extraordinary loud braying, a series of disyllabic rolls, and, in disputes, a duck-like quacking. Hints Usually shy and often silent, except around nesting grounds, where occasionally crepuscular or nocturnal.

Population estimate

Population trend

Range estimate (breeding/resident)

Country endemic?

8,000 - 14,000

decreasing

175,000 km²

Yes

Range & population Macrocephalon maleo is endemic to Sulawesi and Buton Islands, Indonesia. Of the 142 currently or formerly known nesting grounds, 48 have been abandoned, 51 are severely threatened, 32 are threatened, 7 are of unknown status, and only four are not yet threatened¹. The global population is currently estimated to be in the region of 4,000-7,000 breeding pairs, and declining rapidly (in places, by up to 90% since 1950). Available evidence indicates that as the number of eggs laid at a communal nesting site declines, so too does the efficacy of communal nesting as a predator satiation strategy, hence the viability of many smaller populations is becoming increasingly threatened⁵.

Important Bird Areas Click here to view map showing IBAs where species is recorded and triggers any of the IBA criteria.

Ecology: It inhabits lowland and hill rainforest, up to at least 1,065 m, and man-modified habitats when travelling to coastal nesting grounds. It nests communally (hypothesised to be an evolutionary strategy for satiating natural egg predators)⁵ at traditional sites, typically sandy beaches, lakeshores and riverbanks. Females lay 8-12 eggs in pits, heated by solar and/or geothermal radiation, over a 2-3 month period, peaking markedly at some localities during the regionally variable dry season. The eggs (averaging 16% of adult female body weight) comprise 61-64% yolk, and when laid are left to incubate (for 2-3 months) and hatch with no further parental support. The young take up to c.2 days to tunnel to the surface after hatching, emerging ready to fly.

Threats Unsustainable harvesting of eggs combined with human disturbance of nesting grounds has caused the abandonment of many nesting colonies (particularly coastal) and remains the major threat to those remaining. Forest destruction and fragmentation increasingly threaten surviving populations; there is a strong relationship between connectivity of nesting grounds and forests, with an increase in abandonment associated with decreased connectivity⁵. Logging and agricultural, urban and road developments have isolated virtually all coastal nesting grounds from non-breeding habitats, significantly elevating the risk of mortality and natural predation of chicks. In the Bogani Nani Wartabone National Park and surrounding area habitats continue to be degraded, the major threats being rattan and timber collection, conversion of forest to agricultural land, gold-mining³, hunting of adult birds for sport², and the spread of invasive vegetation. An increase in the human population has exacerbated many of the threatening processes above and leads to the introduction of invasive predators such as dogs and rats. Nest site abandonment is highest in coastal and non-protected areas: this, the level of awareness raised about this species and the wealth of information now available suggest there is considerable scope for protecting the Maleo.

Conservation measures underway CITES Appendix I. It has been protected under Indonesian law since 1972. The species was included in a status survey and 2000-2004 conservation action plan for Megapodes. Nesting ground surveys were made in North, Central and South East Sulawesi between 1990 and 2000. Over 50% of known nesting grounds (chiefly inland sites) are located inside protected areas, the most important being Lore Lindu National Park, Morowali Nature Reserve, and Bogani Nani Wartabone National Park. Effective conservation programmes have been implemented at the Tambun and Hungayono nesting grounds, where hatchery projects and improved guard patrolling have led to greatly increased hatching rates, at Taima (Libuun) near Tompotika in Central Sulawesi, and at the Pakuli/Saluki complex at Lore Lindu and the Tanjung Matop near Toli-toli^4,6. A number of field studies and conservation programmes have also been initiated in Central, North and South East Sulawesi¹.

Conservation measures proposed Strengthen the capacity of conservation agencies and government to prevent illegal activities in formally protected areas and establish new management plans to realistically address conservation issues in National Parks and Nature Reserves. Prioritise the protection of active and threatened nesting grounds over translocation of eggs to recolonise abandoned nesting grounds (which has been successfully implemented at some sites and should remain a tool for the future)⁵. Keep nesting grounds free from predators, human disturbance and invasive vegetation, and reforest adjacent areas⁵. Extend protected area status to forest corridors connecting nesting grounds and non-breeding areas. Expand management activities in protected areas, particularly scrub clearance at nesting sites. Initiate maleo-based conservation activities in Paluki and Saluki, Central Sulawesi. Renew community-based protection initiatives. Monitor the effectiveness of hatcheries and other conservation measures and optimize egg protection strategies. Monitor daily numbers of birds laying at as many colonies as possible. Conduct more intensive research to establish its distribution and the extent of gene flow between nesting grounds. Conduct a Sulawesi-wide awareness-raising campaign to discourage Maleo egg consumption and use the species as a falagship for forest conservation.

References Dekker et al. (2000). BirdLife International (2001). 1. Baker (2002). 2. G. Baker in litt. (2004). 3. M. Argeloo in litt. (2005). 4. D. Neville in litt. (2004). 5. Gorog et al. (2005). 6. M. Summers in litt. (2006).

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), Jeremy Bird (BirdLife International), Pete Davidson (BirdLife International), Aidan Keane (World Pheasant Association)

Contributors Marc Argeloo, Gillian Baker (Megapode Specialist Group), Duncan Neville

IUCN Red List evaluators Jeremy Bird (BirdLife International), Stuart Butchart (BirdLife International), Rene Dekker (Megapode Specialist Group), Phil McGowan (World Pheasant Association)

Recommended citation BirdLife International (2009) Species factsheet: Macrocephalon maleo. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 10/2/2010

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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