Tawny Frogmouth

I really enjoyed painting this commission.

This young Tawny Frogmouth belongs to a family of 4 which roost in a gum tree in the backyard of a friend of mine. It is in Camden near Sydney. The Frogmouth parents have been returning to the same tree every year for a number of years.  Each year they have 2 chicks.  We are not sure where the chicks go when they are mature but as there are many trees in the area we think they are probably nesting with their own family not too far away.  They are often very difficult to see as their colouring and behaviour make them look like tree branches.

All the paintings I have done of Tawny Frogmouths have been of this family.  They are quite fascinating birds.

Some Facts about Tawny Frogmouths:

Tawny Frogmouths are nightjars not owls. They are night hunters and spend the day sitting on a tree branch close to the trunk. They stay very still and upright and look just like part of the branch. Males and females look alike. They have yellow eyes and a wide beak topped with a tuft of bristly feathers between the eyes.

Their diet is mainly insects. They catch their prey with their beaks rather than with their talons as owls do. Frogmouths generally remain sitting very still on a low branch, and wait for food to come to them. They sometimes drop from their perch onto prey on the ground and rarely hunt on the wing like owls.

Tawny Frogmouths have one toe facing backwards and the other three face forwards. Their feet are fairly weak as they use their beaks to catch their prey. When threatened, they stay perfectly still, with eyes almost shut and with bill pointed straight, relying on camouflage for protection.

They mate for life breeding from August to December. They usually use the same nest each year.  The nest is a messy platform of sticks. There are usually 2 eggs. Both male and female take turns sitting on the eggs until they hatch about 25 days later. Both parents help feed the chicks.

"I Only Have Eyes for You" - Tawny Frogmouth (Gouache on Watercolour Paper)