ENVIRONMENTAL RELATIONSHIPS OF ORANGE-FOOTED SCRUBFOWL MEGAPODIUS-REINWARDT NESTS IN THE NORTHERN-TERRITORY

The occurrence of Orange-footed Scrubfowl nests within monsoon rainfor est patches was recorded during a comprehensive survey of this vegetat ion type in the Northern Territory. The occurrence of active and extin ct nests in nearby surrounding habitats was also noted. Of the 1223 ra inforest patches sampled, 25% contained scrubfowl nests. No active nes ts were recorded in savanna habitats. Nests typically occur in large ( mean = 64 ha) coastal monsoon rainforests on siliceous substrates. The occurrence of extinct nests in savanna surrounding rainforest patches that contained active nests was infrequent (7% of the sample) but may indicate a contraction of the habitat of Orange-footed Scrubfowl in t he Northern Territory. Localised extinction of Scrubfowl populations m ay have occurred at two rainforest patches which did not contain nests but had extinct nests in the surrounding savanna. The cause of this a pparent habitat contraction remains unclear.