Birds
Malleefowl
Leipoa ocellata
About
An Australian ground-dwelling bird that builds one of the most extraordinary nests in the animal kingdom — a massive mound of decomposing vegetation that functions as a natural incubator.
Their Eggs
Large, thin-shelled, pinkish-white eggs buried in a composting mound of leaf litter. The eggs are incubated by the heat of decomposition rather than body heat.
Egg Size Comparison
Fun Fact
The male malleefowl maintains his incubation mound for 11 months a year, testing the temperature with his beak and adding or removing material to keep it at exactly 33°C. He's essentially a biological thermostat.