Mallee fowl is a heavy, fowllike bird that lives in the semidesert areas of inland Australia where mallee scrub grows. They are 21 to 28 inches (55 to 70 centimeters) long and weigh about 41/2 pounds (2 kilograms). In the winter, the mallee fowl dig holes in the semidesert areas and lay eggs in them. They then scrape in leaves and grass, and cover the holes with sand to form mounds. The male tests the temperature of the mound with his tongue and keeps it at about 91 °F (33 °C) by adding or removing sand. On hatching, the chicks dig their way out of the mounds. The young chicks are able to run well and can fly within 24 hours of birth. They are never tended by their parents. See also Bird (Birds of Australia and New Zealand); Brushturkey; Mound bird.
