Any one of several species of large-footed, gallinaceous birds of the genera Megapodius and Leipoa, inhabiting Australia and other Pacific islands. Called also mound builder, scrub fowl, moundbird, and brush turkey. See Jungle fowl(b) under Jungle, and Leipoa. [1913 Webster]
megapode, n. (also megapod) any bird of the family Megapodidae, native to Australasia, that builds a mound of debris for the incubation of its eggs, e.g. a mallee fowl.
Etymology
mod.L Megapodius (genus-name) formed as MEGA- + Gk pous podos foot