Maleo

Macrocephalon maleo

Maleo (Macrocephalon maleo) — Gamebirds of Australia & Oceania.

Field guide · LocationsWhere to see this bird

Found on 1 guide in our atlas — open it for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.

Regional checklists

Birds of Indonesia

See what's near you right now

The Maleo (Macrocephalon maleo) is a member of the Megapodiidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 1.6 kg. The IUCN Red List lists it as Critically Endangered.

Conservation status

IUCN Red List

CR Critically Endangered

Facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild.

Where it fits

Class Aves
Order Galliformes
Family Megapodiidae Megapodes
Genus Macrocephalon
Species maleo

Where it lives

Sulawesi and Butung (=Buton, south of southeastern Sulawesi)

Australia & Oceania

Quick facts

Weight: 1.6 kg
Diet: Omnivores
Family: Megapodiidae
Order: Galliformes
Habitat: Woodland

How to identify

Similar birds

Least Concern

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Maleo is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.

Behaviour

A bird of semi-open forest, it forages mainly on the ground.

Migration

The Maleo is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

The Maleo (Macrocephalon maleo) belongs to the Megapodiidae family of the order Galliformes. It is found across Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU Sulawesi and Butung (=Buton, s of se Sulawesi).

It is a very large bird. Adults weighs around 1.6 kg, with a wing length of about 29.1 cm and a tail of around 13.2 cm.

It is classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List and is a focus of conservation concern. Critically Endangered is the highest risk category before extinction in the wild.

The species has a mapped global range of roughly 146,000 km².

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Maleo?

The Maleo is a very large bird that weighs around 1.6 kg.

Where does the Maleo live?

The Maleo is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU Sulawesi and Butung (=Buton, s of se Sulawesi), where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.

What family does the Maleo belong to?

The Maleo (Macrocephalon maleo) belongs to the Megapodiidae family, in the order Galliformes.

What does the Maleo eat?

The Maleo is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.

Does the Maleo migrate?

The Maleo is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

Is the Maleo endangered?

It is classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List and is a focus of conservation concern Critically Endangered is the highest risk category before extinction in the wild.

How large is the Maleo's range?

The Maleo has a mapped global range of about 146,000 km².