Tawny frogmouth fact sheet – binit | Field of Mars EEC

What are tawny frogmouths?

Tawny frogmouths are large nocturnal birds found across most of Australia, including bushland, parks and suburban gardens in Sydney. Their scientific name is Podargus strigoides. Although they are often mistaken for owls because they are active at night, tawny frogmouths belong to a different group of birds and are more closely related to nightjars.

These birds are well known for their excellent camouflage. During the day, tawny frogmouths often sit very still on tree branches with their eyes partly closed and their bodies stretched upright like broken branches. Their grey, brown and silver feathers help them blend into tree bark and woodland habitats.

Students visiting Field of Mars Reserve or Lane Cove National Park may hear tawny frogmouths calling at dusk or spot one perched quietly in a eucalyptus tree. Tawny frogmouths have wide mouths surrounded by stiff bristles that help them catch insects and other prey at night.

A tawny frogmouth.

A tawny frogmouth family in the Field of Mars Reserve.

Where do tawny frogmouths live?

Tawny frogmouths live across most of mainland Australia and Tasmania. They are found in forests, open woodlands, heathlands, parks, gardens and suburban bushland. These birds prefer areas with plenty of trees where they can rest quietly during the day and hunt at night.

In Sydney, tawny frogmouths can sometimes be seen in bushland reserves such as Field of Mars Reserve and Lane Cove National Park. They often perch on branches close to tree trunks where their feathers help them blend into the bark. During the day they remain very still to avoid being noticed by predators such as large birds of prey.

Tawny frogmouths often rest in eucalyptus trees during the day.

What do tawny frogmouths eat?

Tawny frogmouths are carnivores that hunt mostly at night. They feed on insects such as beetles, moths, grasshoppers and spiders, but they also eat worms, frogs, snails, small reptiles and small mammals. They usually hunt by sitting quietly on a branch and watching for movement below.

Unlike owls, tawny frogmouths usually catch prey with their beaks instead of their talons. Their wide mouths help them scoop up insects and small animals quickly. They are important predators in Australian ecosystems because they help control insect and rodent populations.

Tawny frogmouths hunt insects and small animals at night.

What do tawny frogmouths sound like?

Tawny frogmouths make deep, soft “oom-oom-oom” calls that are often heard at dusk and during the night. Pairs sometimes call together to communicate and defend their territory. Their calls can sound calm and gentle compared with the louder calls of many owls.

Young tawny frogmouths also make hissing or rasping sounds when they are hungry or disturbed in the nest.

Tawny frogmouths communicate with deep repeated calls at night.

What is the life cycle of tawny frogmouths?

Tawny frogmouths usually breed during spring and summer. The male and female build a small nest made from sticks and leaves on a horizontal tree branch. The female usually lays two or three eggs, and both parents help incubate the eggs and care for the chicks.

The chicks hatch covered in soft down feathers and remain in the nest for several weeks while the adults bring them food. Young tawny frogmouths continue learning hunting skills after leaving the nest. Many tawny frogmouths form long-term breeding pairs and may return to the same nesting area each year.

Tawny frogmouths construct a fragile nest of sticks, typically where a large branch meets the trunk.

Tawny frogmouth parents share the care of their chicks.

Tawny frogmouth chicks have fluffy white down.

Tawny frogmouths fledge between 25 and 35 days after hatching.

What adaptations do tawny frogmouths have to help them survive?

Tawny frogmouths have excellent camouflage that helps them avoid predators during the day. Their feather colours match tree bark and dead branches, and they often freeze in an upright position to look like part of the tree. This behaviour is called protective mimicry.

Their large eyes help them see in low light, and the stiff bristles around their mouths help guide insects into their beaks during hunting. Tawny frogmouths also have silent flight feathers that help them move quietly through the bush at night.

Tawny frogmouths stretch upright to resemble broken tree branches.

Why are tawny frogmouths important?

Tawny frogmouths are important predators in Australian ecosystems. By feeding on insects, rodents and other small animals, they help maintain balanced food webs and control pest populations.

These birds are also indicators of healthy bushland habitats with mature trees and abundant wildlife. Protecting habitats for tawny frogmouths also helps many other native species that rely on forests, woodlands and urban bushland corridors.

Healthy bushland habitats support tawny frogmouth populations and many other native species.

How can you help tawny frogmouths?

People can help tawny frogmouths by protecting native bushland and planting local native trees that provide shelter and habitat for insects and other prey animals. Leaving old trees standing where safe can also provide important nesting sites.

Drivers can help by slowing down on bushland roads at night because tawny frogmouths sometimes hunt close to roadsides. Keeping cats indoors at night and reducing the use of pesticides can also help protect tawny frogmouths and their food sources.

Protecting native bushland helps tawny frogmouths survive in urban areas.

Related fact sheets

More bird fact sheets

• Birds fact sheet – Learn about bird groups, adaptations, habitats and life cycles.
• Powerful owl fact sheet – Discover another nocturnal bird that hunts in forest habitats.
• Laughing kookaburra fact sheet – Learn about a native bird that hunts insects, reptiles and other small animals.

Habitats and ecosystems

• Eucalypt forest fact sheet – Explore the tree habitats that support tawny frogmouths and many other animals.

Animals that share this habitat

• Mammals fact sheet – Learn about mammals that live in bushland, forests, parks and gardens.
• Cicada fact sheet – Find out about an insect that lives in eucalypt forest and can become food for nocturnal predators.
• Grasshopper fact sheet – Learn about another insect found in grassy edges, shrubs and open bushland.

Food webs and ecological relationships

• Insects fact sheet – Explore the insect groups that form an important part of tawny frogmouth diets.
• Snail fact sheet – Learn about small invertebrates that live in leaf litter and damp bushland habitats.

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