Bird of the Month - Tawny Frogmouth

The Tawny Frogmouth is one of those cryptic bird species fairly common in the Hindmarsh Shire but seldom seen.  They are nocturnal and spend the day roosting in a tree.  Their superpower is the ability to freeze with their bills pointing upward, pretending to look for all the world like a dead branch.  At night they hunt primarily for insects, particularly moths, which they catch in their over-sized beaks.

They can be found roosting in the crook of a branch in a live or dead tree in woodlands, and in trees around our lakes and rivers.  Look for a spotty, streaky grey blob hard up against the trunk of a tree or large branch, particularly where foliage might partially obscure their position.  They will occasionally take up residence in urban gardens and will even roost in a farm shed.

The picture above shows a Tawny Frogmouth trying to blend into the fork of a box tree in a revegetation area near Dimboola. The following picture shows a Tawny Frogmouth in its relaxed state.

Photo: J. Starks