Malleefowl

Thermometer chicken ( Leipoa ocellata )

The thermometer chicken ( Leipoa ocellata ) is a beheimatetes in Australia Großfußhuhn with remarkable breeding method.

Features

The thermometer chicken has a body length of about 60 cm. The male is 2 kg, the female 1.5 to 2 kg. It has strong legs and a short, curved beak. The plumage on the head and neck is brown to blue-gray. The top and wings are banded brown and blackish. The color of the belly is dirty white.

Occurrence

The thermometer chicken lives in Southwest and South Australia in semi-arid eucalyptus bush areas that are designated as " Mallee ". For the protection of its habitat of the Mallee Cliffs National Park was created in southwestern New South Wales.

Way of life

The thermometer chicken is a soil- omnivores, which couples stay together for several years. Mostly, however, it comes along only during the breeding season.

In the Australian winter, ie from April or May, both partners dig a 3 m wide and 1 m deep pit, which they fill with plant material collected up to 50 meters in radius. Once the low rainfall dampened the plant material, the cock covered it with a layer of sand. Through the pit moisture is stored and the rotting of the plant generates heat. Top of the heap one egg chamber is built and over the pit with sand and earth a breeding hill, which can be up to 1.50 meters high and 4.50 meters wide. By decay heat and sunlight, the temperature inside is around 33 ° C. The cock is almost 10 months of the year busy with his brood hill. It checks for months every day the temperature with a sense organ in the beak area and adjusts it by adding plant material or removed.

Up to lay their eggs, the male guards the bunch and even sells the female. In September or October 2 to 34 eggs are laid in the brood chamber at intervals of several days. After 49-96 days, the chicks hatch and must work their way through to the outside. They are now on their own. After a day they can fly short distances. The parents no longer take care of the offspring. After about one and a half years they are fully grown.

Stock

The total number of thermometer chickens is estimated to be 1,000 to 10,000. As their habitats are being converted into arable and pasture land, the species is endangered.