Malleefowl
![](/Images/godic/202501/15/Leipoa_ocellata_-Ongerup,_Western_Australia,_Australia-85000.jpg")
![Malleefowl camouflaged](/Images/godic/202501/15/Malleefowl-camouflage5000.JPG")
![Malleefowl mound](/Images/godic/202501/15/Malleefowl_mound5000.jpg")
![Cross section of a malleefowl mound, showing layer of sand (up to 1 m thick) used for insulation; egg chamber; and layer of rotting compost. The egg chamber is kept at a constant 33°C by opening and closing air vents in the insulation layer, while heat comes from the compost below.](/Images/godic/202501/15/Malleefowl_Pengo.svg5000.png")
The malleefowl (Leipoa ocellata) is a stocky ground-dwelling Australian bird about the size of a domestic chicken (to which it is distantly related). They are notable for the large nesting mounds constructed by the males and lack of parental care after the chicks hatch. It is the only living representative of the genus Leipoa, though the extinct giant malleefowl was a close relative.