Australian Brushturkey (Alectura lathami)
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Australian Brushturkey

Alectura lathami Gray, JE, 1831

2.3 kgWeight

The Australian brushturkey, Australian brush-turkey, or gweela (Alectura lathami), also commonly called the bush turkey, scrub turkey, or just brushturkey, is a large mound-building bird of the family Megapodiidae.

Busiest months: October · Most records: Australia

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Australian Brushturkey has been recorded at 89 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 1 country or region.

Records by month Southern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. O'Reilly's Rainforest RetreatAustralia3,999 records
  2. Oxley Creek CommonAustralia3,606 records
  3. Toohey MountainAustralia2,306 records
More places
  1. Lake Samsonvale – Golds Scrub LaneAustralia2,264 records
  2. Cairns Botanical Gardens and Centenary LakesAustralia2,127 records
  3. Kumbartcho SanctuaryAustralia1,932 records
  4. Kingfisher Park Birdwatchers LodgeAustralia1,899 records
  5. Townsville Town Common Conservation ParkAustralia1,598 records
  6. Wollongong Botanic GardenAustralia1,563 records
  7. Gold Creek ReservoirAustralia1,439 records

Countries and regions with the most records

Australia

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

The Australian brushturkey, Australian brush-turkey, or gweela (Alectura lathami), also commonly called the bush turkey, scrub turkey, or just brushturkey, is a large mound-building bird of the family Megapodiidae. It is found in eastern Australia, ranging from Far North Queensland to the south coast of New South Wales, and has also been introduced to Kangaroo Island in South Australia. It is the largest living member of the Megapodiidae and one of three species native to Australia.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the Australian Brushturkey?

The Australian Brushturkey weighs around 2.3 kg.

Where does the Australian Brushturkey live?

Its breeding range: Australasia: eastern Australia. It is most often recorded in Australia.

When is the best time to see the Australian Brushturkey?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in October (Southern Hemisphere).

Is the Australian Brushturkey endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Australian Brushturkey as Least Concern.

What does the Australian Brushturkey eat?

Main food: Omnivore.

What family is the Australian Brushturkey in?

It belongs to the family Megapodes (Megapodiidae), order Galliformes.

At a glance

Weight
2.3 kg
Habitat
Forest
Diet
Omnivore
Lifestyle
Active on the ground
Migration
Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
290 mm
Tail
218 mm
Bill
38 mm
Tarsus
81 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

Australasia: eastern Australia

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Family
Megapodes Megapodiidae
Genus
Alectura

More from the family Megapodes

Wattled BrushturkeyWattled BrushturkeyAepypodius arfakianusWaigeo BrushturkeyWaigeo BrushturkeyAepypodius bruijniiRed-billed BrushturkeyRed-billed BrushturkeyTalegalla cuvieriBlack-billed BrushturkeyBlack-billed BrushturkeyTalegalla fuscirostrisCollared BrushturkeyCollared BrushturkeyTalegalla jobiensisMalleefowlMalleefowlLeipoa ocellataMaleoMaleoMacrocephalon maleoMoluccan MegapodeMoluccan MegapodeEulipoa wallaceiTongan MegapodeTongan MegapodeMegapodius pritchardiiMicronesian MegapodeMicronesian MegapodeMegapodius laperouse
Australian Brushturkey

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Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by JJ Harrison. ↗

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