The Tawny Frogmouth is distributed throughout Australia. It requires trees or bushes in which to roost and nest but it also requires more open areas where it can hunt for insects, spiders, scorpions, frogs, etc..
The first time was at You Yangs Regional Park in Victoria. I was approaching the campervan at the car park when I heard what sounded like a dog barking. But it was coming from above me. So I looked up at this gum tree to find the Tawny Frogmouth. I was photographing it for a few minutes when I suddenly realised that there were two birds in the tree.
My second encounter was at Naracoorte, South Australia. We had just arrived at the camp site and I was opening a well-earned stubby when I looked up and there was another Tawny Frogmouth not more than 3 metres away. This is the bird in photos 4 and 5.
Photo 7 was taken at Big Crystal Creek near Paluma, Queensland and shows the yellow eye quite well.
Tawny Frogmouths are not owls although they are distantly related. They are also distantly related to the Potoos of South America. Their closest relatives appear to be the nightjars.
| Previous Page | Back to Index | Next Page |