Megapodius cumingi (Gaimard 1823) is the extant dusky scrubfowl, is one of the most primitive of living neognath birds. It is a mound builder (11m diameter, 5m tall) in which the heat from decaying vegetation incubates the eggs. Hatchlings are able to fly on the same day they hatch. These are not Galliformes (chicken relatives).

Rhynochetos jubatus (Verreaux and DesMurs 1860; 55cm in length) is the extant kagu, a nearly flightless megapode restricted to New Caledonia. The straight, sharp rostrum tips down. 'Nasal corns' (soft structures covering the nostrils) are a unique feature developed to prevent dirt from entering. This has been a traditional enigma prior to its nesting in the LRT.

Gaimard JP 1823. Mémoire sur un nouveau genre de Gallinacés, establi sous le nom de Mégapode. Bulletin General et Universel des Annonces et de Nouvelles Scientifiques 2: 450-451.

Verreaux JP and des Murs O 1860. Descriptions d'Oiseaux nouveaux de la Nouve.-Calédonie.

Wang M and & Zhou Z 2016. A new adult specimen of the basalmost ornithuromorph bird Archaeorhynchus spathula (Aves: Ornithuromorpha) and its implications for early avian ontogeny, Journal of Systematic Palaeontology, DOI: 10.1080/14772019.2015.1136968

wiki/Megapodius
wiki/Megapode
wiki/Rhynochetos