Dusky megapode the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Dusky megapode The dusky megapode or dusky scrubfowl ("Megapodius freycinet") is a medium-sized (about 41 cm long), blackish bird with a short pointed crest, bare red facial skin, dark legs, brown irises, and dark brown and yellow bill. The male and female are similar. This terrestrial species lives in forests and swamps, including mangroves, of the Maluku and Raja Ampat Islands in Indonesia. Like other megapodes, it lays its eggs in a mound made from earth mixed with leaves, sand, gravel, and sticks, as big as in diameter and stand nearly tall. Many
Micronesian megapode the multiple threats across its range, it is likely to be suffering from a continuing decline. It seems that the only way for the species to be safe is to protect a few small islands and release a small population of megapodes there. That way, a safe population is secured. On the larger and higher islands, an increase of people and introduced pests will sooner or later destroy any megapode populations. The Marianas Island megapode or "Megapodius laperouse laperouse" is the nominate subspecies of the Micronesian megapode found in the Mariana Islands. It is rare, localised and in danger of