Animalia Life
Leipoa ocellata
TAXONOMY
Leipoa ocellata Gould, 1840, Swan River, Western Australia.
Monotypic.
OTHER COMMON NAMES
French: Lйipoa ocellй; German: Thermometerhuhn; Spanish:
Talйgalo Leipoa.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
23.6 in (60 cm); female 3.3–4.5 lb (1.52–2.05 kg), male 4.0–5.5
lb (1.81–2.50 kg). Large and distinctive, upper parts boldly
barred, streaked and fringed with gray, white, black, and rufous.
Sexes similar though males slightly larger.
DISTRIBUTION
Originally found widely throughout the inland of southern
Australia, now restricted to small patches of suitable habitat in
southern states of Australia. Recently desert populations rediscovered
in central Australia.
HABITAT
Arid and semi-arid low eucalypt and acacia woodland (mallee)
and heath.
BEHAVIOR
Territorial, pairs defending area of incubation mound. Often
solitary, with male spending long periods near mound while female
wanders widely. Roost in trees and rarely fly. Three main
calls: three-syllable booming (territorial), loft lowing call (communication),
and sharp grunt (alarm).
FEEDING ECOLOGY AND DIET
Very broad diet of largely plant materials, especially seeds,
fruit, and buds although up to 20% of food taken is grounddwelling
invertebrates.
REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY
Breed at two to four years of age. Mound-building species,
with male spending up to 11 months of each year in mound
construction and attendance. Mounds may be used for several
generations. Usually strictly monogamous though some cases
of polygyny are known. Females lay 2–34 eggs at intervals of
5–10 days. Each egg weighs 10% of female’s body weight, the
egg’s pale pink color changes to dark beige during incubation.
Incubation takes 55–77 days, depending on temperature of
mound.
CONSERVATION STATUS
Classified by IUCN as Vulnerable, species having undergone
20% decline during last 45 years due to habitat destruction and
impact of introduced predators.
SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS
Species has strong totemic significance for Central Australia
indigenous people.