Frogmouths are one of the most loved of our native birds.
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They are commonly found throughout Australia and often spotted on golf courses or in suburban streets and gardens.
Tawny Frogmouths are silver grey, streaked and mottled with black and rufous. They have a yellow eye and a wide flat bill.
They are nocturnal and are often referred to as owls, when they are in fact more closely related to nightjars.
During the day they roost in mature trees with coarse, dark coloured bark and this is when they are most often noticed.
In winter, when it is cold, they choose a sunny spot on the northern side of a tree and huddle together in the sun. The Jacaranda trees in the street are a favourite location for the pair that live in my area.
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They have unique behaviour, that adds to their appeal. They choose a branch on purpose to match their appearance. If they feel threatened, they will raise their head straight up in the air and close their eyes. This ploy is so successful, that they blend into the trunk and become almost invisible.
Their plumage also contains a blend of spots, blotches and streaks of grey, brown, black and tawny that blends in almost perfectly with its surroundings. But at night, when not roosting in disguise, they are much easier to spot.
Dusk is the time Tawny Frogmouths go hunting. They have a diet consisting of nocturnal insects, slugs and snails and small mammals. They catch moths in flight as well as pouncing on insects on the ground.
Needless to say, their attraction to insects caught in car headlights has led to many road deaths.
They feed more frequently in summer when insects are abundant and build up reserves to get through the colder winter months when there are less insects about.
Frogmouths have the ability to put their bodies into a state similar to hibernation, where heart rate and metabolism slow down. This is called torpor and is how they spend many of their days and nights during the cold months.
They breed in flimsy nests on a horizontal branch and the chicks become visible, sitting on the branch beside their parents, when they are about four weeks old.
Young birds stay with their parents for several months and provide delightful photographic opportunities for anyone with a camera.
Tawny Frogmouths have a large range of calls, the most common a soft and continuous "oom, oom, oom".
Perhaps you have them in your garden or neighbourhood? Have a listen, you may be surprised.
- Hunter Bird Observers Club website can be found at www.hboc.org.au