megapode

9.9

A ground bird from Australia and nearby islands that uses mounds of rotting plants to warm eggs

noun
/ˈmɛɡəˌpoʊd/

Australian

: megápodo

In Australia, the megapode is known for its unique nesting habits and distinctive appearance.

Examples

But even then, he would not rest for long and would go off to spend the next day in the arduous business of digging for megapode eggs.

Academic text (1999)
The megapode creates large mounds of vegetation to successfully incubate its eggs.
Birdwatchers often seek out the elusive megapode due to its fascinating behavior and habitat.

Synonyms

mound builder

vsmegapode

Australian

1 9.9

A bird that builds a large pile of leaves and rotting plants to keep its eggs warm

is the same in meaning but differs only by the label used

scrub fowl

vsmegapode

Australian

9.9

A large ground bird that builds a warm mound of rotting plants to hatch its eggs

is the same group but is referred to by a different common name

mound bird

vsmegapode

Australian

9.9

A large bird with big feet that builds mounds of dead plants to keep its eggs warm

is the same concept but known under another common label

Surface Forms

megapode singular

megapodes plural

Morphology

megapode = mega + pode

The bird name is built from the classical elements mega- 'large' and -pode 'foot', so the literal sense is recoverable, but it relies on non-standalone combining forms and a specialized taxonomic meaning.

Etymology

Megapode comes from Greek parts mega- 'large' and -pode 'foot', the same mega- you see in megaphone, so it means 'large foot'. These ground birds have big feet for digging and for making warm mounds to hatch their eggs, which is why the name fits.