The Alovot is a mysterious bird of Simeulue Island, located in Sumatra, Indonesia.
Description[]
It is largely likened to a pheasant about the size of a chicken, with dark-brown plumage with lighter spots. It has a small, comb-like crest (perhaps only in males), with short legs. It is a nocturnal creature, indicating that it is shy and cautious. It feeds on rice, nests on stumps or logs, and its eggs are light brown and smaller than a hen’s.
Its primary habitat is dense forest. It takes flight with a heavy, low flight when surprised.
Possible explanations[]
- An unknown species of peacock-pheasant (Polyplectron sp.), suggested by Karl Shuker. The description resembles the Mountain peacock-pheasant (P. inopinatus), which lives in undisturbed mountain forests of Malaysia.
- An unknown species of gallopheasant (Lophura sp.). The description resembles a female Crested Fireback (L. ignita), once common in Sumatra and Borneo. Females are brown with white-striped underparts.
- An unrecorded uncommon colour variant of a known bird, or a selectively bred variant of a domesticated jungle fowl that escaped or was released.