A bird that lets the volcano do the work
Most birds sit on their eggs. Megapodes, whose name means "big feet", do not. The Melanesian megapode digs into ground warmed by the volcano below, lays a large egg, covers it and walks away. The earth keeps it at just the right temperature.
When the chick hatches it digs its own way up to the surface, already fully feathered and able to look after itself. It never meets its parents.
Eggs, markets and care
Local families have collected some of the eggs for generations, and you may see them for sale at markets. The nesting grounds sit inside the Pokili Wildlife Management Area, so that the colony and the harvest can both continue.
More birds of New Britain
The forests of New Britain are home to birds found nowhere else. Look and listen for the golden masked owl, found only on New Britain, and the blue-eyed cockatoo, which lives only on New Britain and New Ireland. Local guides know where to find them.
Questions and answers
What is a megapode?
A megapode is a ground bird with large feet that buries its eggs and lets the heat of the earth incubate them instead of sitting on them.
Where can I see megapodes in West New Britain?
At Pokili, in the Nakanai area, where Melanesian megapodes lay their eggs in volcanically heated ground.
Which birds live only on New Britain?
The golden masked owl is found only on New Britain; the blue-eyed cockatoo lives only on New Britain and New Ireland.