megapode (redirected from megapodes)

meg·a·pode  (mg-pd)

n.

Any of various large-footed, ground-dwelling birds of the family Megapodiidae, found in Australia and many South Pacific islands, that build mounds or burrows of earth and compost in which to incubate their eggs. Also called moundbird, mound builder, scrub fowl.

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[From Megapodius, type genus : mega- + New Latin -podius, masculine of -podium, -pod.]

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megapode [ˈmɛgəˌpəʊd]

n

(Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Animals) any ground-living gallinaceous bird of the family Megapodiidae, of Australia, New Guinea, and adjacent islands. Their eggs incubate in mounds of sand, rotting vegetation, etc., by natural heat Also called mound-builder See also brush turkey, mallee fowl

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

megapode - large-footed short-winged birds of Australasia; build mounds of decaying vegetation to incubate eggs mound bird, mound-bird, scrub fowl, mound builder gallinacean, gallinaceous bird - heavy-bodied largely ground-feeding domestic or game birds family Megapodiidae, Megapodiidae - megapodes leipoa, Leipoa ocellata, lowan, mallee fowl - Australian mound bird; incubates eggs naturally in sandy mounds Alectura lathami, brush turkey - black megapode of wooded regions of Australia and New Guinea Macrocephalon maleo, maleo - Celebes megapode that lays eggs in holes in sandy beaches