Data Zone
Justification of Red List category
The rapid population decline of this beach-nesting megapode, caused primarily by over-exploitation, has not as yet been mitigated and further rapid reductions are expected. The species therefore qualifies as Vulnerable.
Population justification
Heij et al. (1997) established the total egg-laying population that nests on Haruku Island at 4,200 females. 13,000-14,000 egg-laying females were estimated at Galela on Halmahera in 1995 (Heij et al. 1997), while Sjafani et al. (2015) estimated the number of females accessing the beach at this same location at 5,500 in 2011 and 5,000 in 2012. If these extrapolations are comparable it suggests a reduction in excess of 50% over three generations at the most significant nesting ground for the species. Additionally, the Tanjung Maleo site on Haruku Island has seen a significant reduction in the number of eggs harvested from over 36,000 regularly in the late 1990s (when effort was maximised in line with increased leasehold cost) (Heij et al. 1997) to 21,707 in 2017 (Simanjuntak 2020).
The third largest breeding population is likely to be along the coastal strip of North Seram, estimated to support c.1,500-2,500 egg laying females (Heij et al. 1997), and several other islands hold small populations, some of which may be significant and subject to much lower rates of egg-collection (Heij et al. 1997).
The estimates made by Heij et al. (1997) total c.18,000-20,000 females or 36,000-40,000 mature individuals, hence the total population is perhaps best placed in the band 20,000-49,999 individuals. However, if the more recent estimate of between 5000-5500 breeding females at Galela is accurate, the total population may actually be below 20,000 mature individuals. More research into total population size is required.
Trend justification
The population is suspected to be decreasing rapidly, owing to the uncontrolled and unsustainable harvest of eggs, a reduction in the number of adults from hunting pressure and introduced predators, and the fragmentation of habitats. Almost all nesting grounds are exploited to a considerable extent and only at very few sites is this likely to be sustainable (Heij et al. 1997). Even where the collecting is regulated by local custom the regulation was not set in line with maintaining the population and actually encourages maximum exploitation, with less than 15% of eggs unharvested (Heij et al. 1997).
Numbers of individuals have only been estimated at two different times at Galela, north Halmahera: 13,000-14,000 egg-laying females in 1996 (Heij et al. 1997) and 5500 and 5000 egg-laying females in 2011 and 2012 respectively (Sjafani et al. 2015). These are extrapolations from the density of females within a small section of a large nesting area and as such are of low precision, however if this does reflect the magnitude of reduction at this (heavily exploited) site then it exceeds 50% in three generations (21 years). Further inference to inform the rate of decline may be the overall number of eggs harvested from the Tanjung Maleo site, subject to detailed recording of egg harvest for several decades. This site is subject to sasi, a locally instituted arrangement to restrict the harvest by annually auctioning the rights to the egg harvest. Total egg harvest peaked in 1996/7 at 37,712, and was high (though dropping) for a few years until conflict in the region deterred egg-collectors from leaving their villages. Subsquently, effort has returned to similar levels but the harvest is lower with a recent annual maximum of 21,707 in 2017 (Simanjuntak 2020). If these values are comparable, this suggests a rapid decline in the numbers of egg-laying females visiting this site at a rate exceeding 40% over three generations.
Elsewhere in the range it is thought that large populations persist on Seram and probably Buru, and some areas are likely to have very low levels of exploitation (Heij et al. 1997). Nesting sites here appear to be much more dispersed and, coupled with lower human population density, are much more difficult to efficiently harvest.
Eulipoa wallacei has been recorded from most Moluccan Islands, including Buru, Seram, Haruku, Ambon, Bacan, Halmahera, Ternate, and Misool off West Papua (from where there is only one old record), Indonesia (Dekker et al. 2000, BirdLife International 2001). Breeding sites are found on beaches on fewer islands, with the majority of the population believed to nest at just two sites; Galela on Halmahera (c.26,000-28,000 mature individuals in 1997) amd Haruku Island (c. 8,400 mature individuals in 1997) (Heij et al. 1997). The total population using these nesting grounds is suspected to be greatly reduced now following intensive exploitation, but there are no updated popualtion estimates. A third large breeding areas is the coastal strip of north Seram, estimated to hold c. 3,000-5,000 mature individuals in 1997 was not thought to be subject to such severe exploitation (Heij et al. 1997) and may have declined less rapidly subsequently. Records on Bacan are restricted to the upper elevations of Mount Sibela and females are thought likely to fly elsewhere to lay their eggs (Heij 2019). There are no longer believed to be any breeding on Ternate, Ambon or Kasiruta, while the situation on Obi is unclear (Heij et al, 1997). Buru still has nesting grounds, but numbers have been greatly reduced since the beginning of the 20th century.
It inhabits dense, evergreen rainforest, also occurring in degraded forest and coastal scrub, from sea-level to 2,000 m although perhaps more typically above 750 m, except when nesting. It lays and buries its eggs (which average at least 20% of adult body weight) nocturnally at communal nesting-grounds, chiefly on solar-radiated sandy beaches or other loose, unvegetated substrates. Egg-laying occurs year-round, but timing, spacing and depth of burrows and behaviour at nesting sites are influenced by lunar cycles (Baker and Dekker 2000). The birds have been recorded switching to new nesting sites when traditional sites are unsuitable (Heij 2005a).
Over-harvesting of its highly nutritious eggs is the main reason for its decline, even in some areas where traditional regulatory management is practiced. Civil unrest in the Moluccas has prevented conservation efforts over the past five years. However, on Haruku nesting success increased from the late 1990s onwards apparently because egg-collection virtually ceased owing to political unrest (Heij 2001a, Heij 2005a). Since 2003, the political situation has stabilised and uncontrolled harvesting has resumed (Heij 2005a,c), but while harvest effort is now likely to be as high the total number of eggs collected in 2017 was still 40% lower than in 1996/7 (Simanjuntak et al. 2020). Natural predation of eggs and chicks by Varanus lizards, snakes and birds of prey poses an increasing threat as colonies decline. Predation by introduced cats (Heij 2001b), dogs and pigs has also served to reduce the number of egg-laying birds (Heij 2005a), though these are controlled by people in heavily exploited nesting grounds (Heij et al. 1997). Sand extraction for local road construction and a number of development projects threaten nesting grounds, as does pollution from litter (Heij 2005b,c). Deforestation (through logging and agricultural encroachment) is presumed to be a threat in its non-breeding habitats. Severe droughts linked to the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) probably cause reductions in egg production (Heij 2001a).
Conservation Actions Underway
It has been legally protected since 1979. Traditional management regimes for sustainable egg-harvesting have been observed for at least 80 years at the two main nesting grounds, reputedly without serious detriment to the species. Surveys of nesting grounds on all Moluccan islands and Misool took place between 1994 and 1997, including a biological study at the Kailolo nesting ground on Haruku island. Translocation of eggs from this site to the nearby Desa Haruku nesting ground helped to replenish the number of nesting adults returning in subsequent years (Heij 2005a). Kailolo nesting ground has been monitored continuously since 1994, involving local people (Heij 2005b). In 2006, it was to be proposed that one of the four nesting grounds in Kailolo be left untouched (Heij 2005c). At two nesting grounds, Desa Haruku and Simau, a proportion of eggs are removed to hatcheries to ensure that there is a higher proportion of chicks that do fledge (Simantjuntak et al. 2020). The project at Haruku and was instigated by the Kewang of Haruku, a customary institution authorised to manage the resources of the community, while at Simau the project is run by the Salabia Youth Community in collaboration with landowners (Simanjuntak et al. 2020).
c.30 cm. Small, brown-and-grey megapode with distinctively patterned upperparts. Dark reddish mantle, greater and median covert feathers, contrastingly tipped grey. Grey underparts with striking white undertail-coverts. Variably bluish-grey to whitish bill, dark olive legs and feet. Similar spp. Dusky Scrubfowl Megapodius freycinet and Orange-footed Scrubfowl M. reinwardt are both larger and darker with prominent crests and orange-red facial skin, the former having uniform dark grey plumage, the latter uniform dark brown upperparts and orange or pinkish-red legs and feet. Voice Pairs give loud territorial duet. Feeding and burrowing birds give various noisy contact calls. Hints Rather secretive, visiting communal nesting grounds nocturnally.
Text account compilers
Martin, R.
Contributors
Baker, G., Dekker, R., Heij, C,J,, Moeliker, C.W. & Saryanthi, R.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Moluccan Scrubfowl Eulipoa wallacei. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/moluccan-scrubfowl-eulipoa-wallacei on 22/12/2024.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2024) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/search on 22/12/2024.