community - 2026-05-29

Bush turkey nest-building season returns across Manly and Shelly Beach hotspots

Source: www.manlycommunityforum.com

Bush turkeys are entering their nest-building season on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, with males constructing large mounds of decaying vegetation for females to lay eggs — and the activity is increasingly visible in local parks, streets and even cafe precincts.

Bush turkeys are entering their nest-building season on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, with males constructing large mounds of decaying vegetation for females to lay eggs — and the activity is increasingly visible in local parks, streets and even cafe precincts. Recent observations in the Manly area include tagged birds at Little Manly that have “not moved far”, while a tagged bird at Shelly has been reported spending time along Marine Parade and breeding. In that area, the Boat House has raised concerns about bush turkey behaviour around the cafe, with birds joining patrons at outdoor tables. The bush turkey is a type of megapode — a group of about 22 species sometimes described as “big feet” birds — that incubate eggs in warm mounds rather than by sitting on them. Megapodes are found in the Indo-Pacific region, and Australia has three species: the mallee fowl, orange-footed scrub fowl and the bush turkey. Unlike most birds, megapode parents play no part in rearing their young. During the breeding season, male bush turkeys build and manage a mound for multiple females. A typical mound can measure up to four metres across and stand about 1.5 metres high, made from sand, soil, leaf...