wattled brushturkey Aepypodius arfakianus

A large, black ground bird of montane rainforests. Bare facial skin is pale-blue in the male and dull gray in the female. Red wattles on the head and chest are reduced in the female. Very shy and difficult to see. Roams the forest floor, scraping leaves to uncover fallen fruit, seeds and invertebrates. Similar to other brushturkeys but Wattled has a vertically-flattened tail with maroon rump and darker legs. Usually quiet but can give a sharp series of “ki! kekekekekeke” with the first note higher.