Page 10 - Tropic Magazine Issue 31

TROPIC • UP FRONT

In season

EXPLORE
Tropic’s local guide to the best
of Far North flora and fauna
this August and September.

Words: Nicky Horstmann 1

BEECH BOUGHS SINGING SCRUBFOWL
Flora Fauna
If you’re familiar with the Cairns One of the quaintest birds in
Botanic Gardens, you may have noticed our local forests would have to be
the Elephant Apple tree (Dillenia indica). the Orange-footed Scrubfowl 2
As the scientific name implies, this (Megapodius reinwardt). As its scientific 1. Orange-footed Scrubfowl
tree hails from India and features name implies, this ground-dwelling (Megapodius reinwardt)
2. Red Beech Tree (Dillenia alata)
large green fruit that resemble species does exhibit large, strong feet
giant apples. Well, here in FNQ we and legs, delightfully coloured orange
have our own version of this tree. in this case. While both parents contribute to
It’s commonly referred to as the Red However, the scrubfowl share more mound building, a great deal of the
Beech because of its beautiful red flaky than their shoe size with our other maintenance falls to the male, and
bark. It’s also called the Golden Guinea megapodes – they all build mounds the female concentrates on eating.
tree, inspired by its spectacular yellow of decaying leaves to incubate She has to produce eggs big enough
flowers (6 to 9cm in diameter) which, their eggs. These supposedly ‘primitive’ to allow for the full development of a
while they appear throughout the year, birds have liberated themselves from chick capable of looking after itself,
last for only one day. many tedious parental responsibilities hatching included. No postpartum care
In scientific speak, this tree is by making use of the heat naturally is provided at all!
Dillenia alata. Other features to note generated as organic matter composts. So, what makes these birds so quaint?
are the ‘green wings’ on the leaf stalks, As the leaf mounds are added to and It’s their pair-bonding. They really
along with the brilliant seed pods that reused, sometimes even shared, they are a couple. If you see one scrubfowl
look like a flower of hollowed-out red can reach heights of three metres and you can rely on its mate being close by.
petals, each hollow containing a seed. a diameter of 15 metres. Similar in size They generally hang out together,
Red Beech trees love our coastal forests to a backyard chook, scrubfowl feature scrabbling over the forest floor looking
and are particularly happy in swampy a graphite-grey crest, head, neck, chest for food like small invertebrates, fruit
areas close to the beach. and belly with brown wings and, of and seeds.
course, the orange legs and feet. But, we all know that good
relationships require more than dining
together and this particular species of
RUSTY’S MARKETS megapode has it all sorted.

Spectacular spuds They enthusiastically sing using their
own arrangements, featuring duets and
As if the cornucopia of local fruit and veg available at Rusty’s isn’t overlapped songs. Can it be described
enough, I am eagerly awaiting the start of the Tablelands’ potato crop. as melodious? Well, no. It sounds like a
There’s only one problem that needs to be sorted – will I buy Kipflers or gargling, gurgling, crowing, chuckling
Dutch Creams? The knobbly sausage shape of the Kipfler lends itself to noise that is extremely penetrating and
most cooking styles and does make a superb potato salad. The buttery, carries over long distances.
yellow flesh of the Dutch Cream results in a very fine mash amongst It is undeniably weird but ever so
other options. Life in the tropics can pose difficult choices at times! joyous and is guaranteed to bring a
smile to your face.

10 • Tropic • Issue 31