This ground-dwelling megapode lives on islands in eastern Indonesia and buries its eggs in a mound of sand.
It has rufous plumage, a slight crest, and disproportionately large red legs and feet. In the 1991 field study, the sexes were difficult to distinguish in the field.
Sula Scrubfowl inhabit Indonesia’s Banggai and Sula Islands. Field observations recorded paired foraging,including roots and earthworms,and maintenance of nesting mounds.
At a Labobo mound in November–December1991,birds visited on16 of24 observation days. They raked downhill with alternating feet;one work bout lasted116minutes.
Working birds remained watchful,freezing at unexpected sounds and responding on occasions to sharp calls of other birds. Mound maintenance was combined with attention to their surroundings.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.
The1998 study recorded birds and mounds in disturbed woodland and called for research on food and local habitat requirements. The1995 plan identified logging,hunting,egg collection and introduced cats as conservation concerns.