Tawny Frogmouth
Podargus strigoides
When threatened, they straighten their bodies and point their beaks upward, perfectly mimicking a dead tree branch to hide from predators.
- Scientific name
- Podargus strigoides
- Taxonomy
- Animalia › Chordata › Aves › Podargiformes › Podargidae › Podargus
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- forest
- Habitat
- Open woodlands, eucalyptus forests, and urban parks with mature trees.
- Diet
- Large nocturnal insects, spiders, snails, and occasionally small mammals or reptiles.
- Range
- Australia, Tasmania
- Size
- 34 to 53 cm in length; wingspan up to 90 cm.
- Lifespan
- 10-15 years
- Active
- nocturnal
- Threats
- Habitat clearance, secondary poisoning from pesticides, and collisions with vehicles while hunting.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless and docile. If you see one, keep a respectful distance to avoid breaking its camouflage stress-response. If found on the ground during the day, it may be injured; contact a local wildlife rescue. Keep cats indoors at night to protect them.
The tawny frogmouth ( Podargus strigoides ) is a species of frogmouth native to and found throughout the Australian mainland and Tasmania. Tawny frogmouths are big-headed, stocky birds often mistaken for owls due to their nocturnal habits and similar colouring. The tawny frogmouth is sometimes incorrectly referred to as "mopoke", a common name for the southern boobook, whose call is often confused with the tawny frogmouth's.
Photo: Sockrosma, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
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