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Glite Dictionary
Megapodiidae

Megapodiidae

9.9
Medium-sized ground birds from Australia and nearby islands that build mounds to keep their eggs warm
  • noun
  • Specialized
: Megapodiidae
  • Unlike most birds, Megapodiidae use external heat sources to incubate their eggs.

Examples

  • The Megapodiidae are famous for their mound-building nesting behavior.

  • The Megapodiidae family includes birds like the Australian brush turkey.

  • Members of the Megapodiidae family can be found throughout Australasia.

  • Many Megapodiidae species are known for their unique nesting behaviors.

  • The Megapodiidae family includes several species of birds that lay their eggs in large mounds of earth.

  • In Australasia, the Megapodiidae are recognized for their remarkable ability to adapt their nesting techniques to the environment.

  • Birdwatchers often seek out the Megapodiidae family because of their distinctive behaviors during egg incubation.

Synonyms

family Megapodiidae
vsMegapodiidae
  • Specialized
9.9

A group of birds from Australia and nearby islands with large feet that bury eggs in warm mounds

emphasizes medium size, ground dwelling and unique egg laying habits

Compounds

family Megapodiidae
  • Specialized
9.9

A group of birds from Australia and nearby islands with large feet that bury eggs in warm mounds

Surface Forms

Megapodiidae singular
Megapodiidaes plural

Morphology

Megapodiidae = Megapodius (opaque) = mega + pod + idae

The word is a zoological family name built on a Latinized genus stem, so its structure is not obvious to average English learners.

Etymology

Megapodiidae comes from Greek parts mega- meaning 'large' and pod- meaning 'foot', so it literally means 'large-footed'. These birds, called megapodes, use strong feet to dig and build big mounds that keep their eggs warm. The ending -idae simply marks a 'family', so the name links their big feet to this group of mound-building birds.