The Australian brush-turkey (also known as the bush or scrub turkey) is hard to miss. A colorful head tops a black body that is supported by strong legs and wide feet that are made for digging. A clumsy flier, the brush-turkey cannot be airborne long distances, only taking flight when threatened by predators or to roost in trees at night and during the hottest parts of the day. Find out more!

They venturing into urban or suburban areas may run afoul of humans when trying to find a possible mound location. As they dig for leaf litter, twigs, and dirt suitable for mound building, they can make a mess of yards, gardens, and parks. They may also try to steal mulch for their mounds. They have been part of the staple diet of Aboriginal Australians.

The birds’ nonhuman predators include dingoes, dogs, snakes, and goannas (a type of monitor lizard). The fragmentation of their habitat is increasingly bringing the Australian brush-turkey into areas inhabited by humans. Omnivorous, brush-turkeys eat insects, fallen fruit, and seeds, which they find by raking leaf litter with their feet or breaking open rotten logs.

When it comes to courtship, it’s a male’s wattle and building abilities that matter. The male’s wattle becomes much larger during breeding season, often swinging from side to side as they run. During mating and nesting season, the males’ heads and wattles also become much more vibrant in color.