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A fortunate sighting when we found this baby Tawny Frogmouth. Mother was close by so hopefully it will find it's way back to the nest
Tawny Frogmouth
(Podargus strigoides)
When it’s not mistaken for an owl, the Tawny Frogmouth can easily be confused with a tree branch! With narrowed eyelids and a stretched neck, this bark-coloured bird is a master of camouflage.
Tawny Frogmouths are between 34cm (females) and 53cm long (males) and can weigh up to 680g. Their plumage is mottled grey, white, black and rufous – the feather patterns help them mimic dead tree branches
Their beak is large and wide, hence the name frogmouth.
Their genus name, Podargus, is from the Greek work for gout. Why?Unlike owls they don't have curved talons on their feet; in fact, their feet are small, and they’re said to walk like a gout-ridden man! Their species name, strigoides, means owl-like.
They’re nocturnal and carnivorous, but Tawny Frogmouths aren't owls – they’re more closely related to Nightjars. There are two other species of frogmouth in Australia – the Papuan Frogmouth (Podargus papuensis) lives in the Cape York Peninsula, and the Marbled Frogmouth (P. ocellatus) is found in two well-separated races: one in tropical rainforests in northern Cape York and the other in subtropical forests of southern Queensland and north-eastern New South Wales.
https://www.bushheritage.org.au/species/tawny-frogmouth
Please see others posting here
http://form.pbase.com/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=48438&p=374507#p374507
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