Common Name
Australian Brush-turkey
Alternate name
Southern Australian Brush-turkey
Comment
Moderately common around rainforest.
Stronghold population
False
Regionally significant/rationale
False
Restricted distribution/rationale
False
Local distribution
Typically associated with closed forest, especially rainforest and vine forest or other dense wooded habitats. Recently invading populated areas
Known location
Upper Mudgeeraba, Burleigh Heads, Lamington NP, Guanaba, Bahrs Scrub, Currumbin, Springbrook, Ormeau
Other locality
Moderately common in and near rainforest. Increasing in numbers after an earlier decline. Sometimes a nuisance in gardens for its habit of scratching and shifting leaflitter.
General ecology
Rainforest, wet sclerophyll forest, riparian forest, coastal thickets, bushy gardens.
Specific ecology
Thick cover, abundant leaf litter.
Habitat comment
Brush turkeys were once shot for food and became uncommon. They are now making a comeback, returning to places where rainforest is regenerating, and sometimes becoming a nuisance in gardens, where they scratch up leaf litter into huge nesting mounds. They readily become tame in national parks, where they solicit food.
