Scientific name:
Podargus strigoides
Status:
Least Concern, Declining
This medium-sized, big-headed bird grows to between 34 and 53cm long. Stick-like and compact, with rounded wings and short legs. Wide, heavy olive-grey to blackish bill with a hooked tip and tufts of bristle-like feathers above it. Large, yellow eyes. Three distinct colour morphs; Grey, chestnut and rufous. All have mottled plumage with black and white streaks and barring to assist in their amazing camouflage.
This species is regularly confused with owls by the general public. Their mottled pattern, large yellow eyes and nocturnal activity definitely doesn’t help this, and even their low ‘ooom ooom’ calls sound very similar to some owl species. There are, however, several big differences between owls and frogmouths. Owls have forward facing eyes to help lock onto prey, whereas frogmouth’s eyes are on the sides of their head. Owls have large, powerful legs and feet for catching prey, whilst frogmouths have small, weak feet used only for perching. Frogmouths catch their food with their large, wide beak, whilst owls have a small hooked beak for tearing at prey. Owls also have a facial disc and asymmetrical ears for hearing, whereas the frogmouths have neither of these traits.
Mostly invertebrates, including moths, spiders, worms, slugs, snails, beetles, ants, centipedes and scorpions. Small reptiles, mammals, frogs and birds are also eaten.
Almost any habitat type besides alpine regions or dense rainforest.
Found all over Australia.
Few Australian birds show cryptic plumage and mimicry like the Tawny frogmouth. During the day, these birds will sit on a branch, including exposed and quite low branches, camouflaged as part of the tree. Indeed, when they stretch their heads out with eyes closed they are near invisible even in broad daylight. Pairs will often sit together, only breaking the illusion if a predator gets too close.
Tawny frogmouths mate for life, and will often stay in the same territory for a decade or more. Close contact and touch are very important in maintaining the pair bond, and the birds will often roost closely together with their bodies touching. Social grooming between the pair is also common. Breeding season tends to be from August to December, but in more arid areas the birds may be triggered to breed in response to heavy rains. A nest is built out of twigs, grass and leaves in the fork of a tree, and the one to three eggs laid are incredibly fragile. Both parents share incubation duties, and the young will fledge at around 25-35 days old.
Reptile Encounters would like to acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land, the people of the Kulin Nation, who have never ceded sovereignty. This always was and always will be Aboriginal land.