Tawny Frogmouth

Tawny frogmouths mainly eat insects, including termites, moths, butterflies, grasshoppers, and beetles. They also opportunistically hunt small mammals, reptiles, frogs, and other types of birds.

Tawny frogmouths catch their prey by remaining motionless while perched in a tree and then quickly pouncing on it, although they sometimes snatch prey in mid-flight.

Tawny frogmouths are found widely across Australia and Tasmania.

This species prefers forest and scrubland trees, particularly open eucalyptus woodlands. It has adapted to live in some urban areas, like farms and parks.

Predators include monitor lizards, as well as non-native animals like foxes, domestic dogs, and feral cats. Humans also hunt tawny frogmouths for food.

Deforestation Since tawny frogmouths are mostly active at night and hunt for insects, they sometimes get hit by vehicles while chasing after prey that is drawn to headlights. Additionally, they risk being indirectly poisoned by pesticides or rodenticides through their prey.

These birds have large heads and wide beaks that are hooked at the ends to help them catch their prey. They have short legs, and their small feet are adapted for perching rather than gripping prey. Their large, bright yellow eyes are crucial for hunting between dusk and dawn. Tawny frogmouths have rounded wing tips and soft feathers, which allow them to fly silently while they hunt.

Their gray-brown feathers are mixed with some darker stripes, helping them blend in with tree bark. This camouflage makes it easier for them to hide from both predators and potential food.

Tawny frogmouths are monogamous, which means they form lifelong pairs for breeding. Their breeding season is from August to December, usually after heavy rainfall. They build their nests using leaves, feathers, moss, and lichen on a platform of sticks, placing them in the fork of a tree branch, sometimes as high as 42 feet off the ground. These birds often return to the same nesting site each year, making repairs to the nest before laying their eggs. Sometimes, they will even take over old nests that other birds have left behind.

The female lays two to three white, oval eggs. Both the male and female take turns sitting on the eggs to incubate them until they hatch, which takes about 30 days. When first hatched, the young are covered with white down feathers. Both parents help feed the chicks. About 25 days after hatching, the chicks are ready to leave the nest.

They communicate with a low grunting, repetitious “oom-oom-oom” sound, heard at night and kept up for long periods during the breeding season. When startled, they make a soft warning buzz that sounds like a bee or hiss.

When threatened, tawny frogmouths use camouflage to protect themselves from potential predators. They stay completely still, with their eyes closed and beak pointed upwards, mimicking a broken stump. Only if a predator approaches too closely will a frogmouth take flight or attempt to intimidate the threat by lunging with their large, brightly colored yellow mouth wide open.