Tongan Megapode (Megapodius pritchardii)
Illustration redrawn by AI from a real photograph

Tongan Megapode

Megapodius pritchardii Gray, GR, 1864

365 gWeight

The Tongan megapode (Megapodius pritchardii) is a species of bird in the megapode family, Megapodiidae, currently endemic to Tonga.

Most records: Tonga

Vulnerable

Where and when it's recorded

Tongan Megapode has been recorded at 1 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 1 country or region.

Records by month Southern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Hufangalupe areaTonga1 record

Countries and regions with the most records

Tonga

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 Tongan megapode (Megapodius pritchardii) is a species of bird in the megapode family, Megapodiidae, currently endemic to Tonga. The species is also known as the Polynesian megapode, and as the Niuafo'ou megapode after the island of Niuafo'ou to which it was restricted for many years. The specific epithet honours British consul William Thomas Pritchard.

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

Questions

How big is the Tongan Megapode?

The Tongan Megapode weighs around 365 g.

Where does the Tongan Megapode live?

Its breeding range: Pacific Ocean: Niuafo'ou (northwestern Tonga, south-central Polynesia). It is most often recorded in Tonga.

Is the Tongan Megapode endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Tongan Megapode as Vulnerable.

What does the Tongan Megapode eat?

Main food: Insects & other invertebrates.

What family is the Tongan Megapode in?

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

At a glance

Weight
365 g
Habitat
Forest
Diet
Insects & other invertebrates
Lifestyle
Active on the ground
Migration
Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation
Vulnerable
More measurements
Wing
177 mm
Tail
56 mm
Bill
24 mm
Tarsus
54 mm

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

Range

Pacific Ocean: Niuafo'ou (northwestern Tonga, south-central Polynesia)

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Family
Megapodes Megapodiidae
Genus
Megapodius

Other birds in the genus Megapodius

Tongan Megapode

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