Britannica Sources used in this answer

Where do megapodes live?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

A peacock stands with its vibrant green and blue tail feathers fully fanned out in display, showing eye-like patterns across the plumage. — Galliform Blue, or Indian, peacock (*Pavo cristatus*) displaying its resplendent feathers.

Megapodes (family Megapodiidae) are a group of chickenlike birds within the order Galliformes that inhabit Australia and neighboring islands. Their range extends north and east to include the Philippines and the Ladrones.12

These birds are primarily known for their unique incubation methods, which involve burying their eggs in mounds of fermenting plant matter, volcanic soil, or sand heated by the sun. For example, the mallee fowl is specifically found in the scrub vegetation of southern interior Australia.12