noun
- plural of megapode; large-footed birds of the family Megapodiidae, native to Australia and the Indo-Pacific region, that incubate their eggs in mounds of soil and vegetation rather than sitting on them
Usage: zoology; plural form
Examples
- Megapods are remarkable for their unique nesting behavior, burying eggs in warm soil mounds.
- Several species of megapods are found in Australia and nearby regions.
- Unlike most birds, megapods do not incubate their eggs with body heat.
- The temperature inside a megapod mound is carefully regulated by the bird's adjustments to the structure.
- Researchers study megapods to understand their unusual reproductive strategies.