Bud sh di u e B Volume 1 s 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 (males) long 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 feathers are soft, like those of owls, allowing for stealthy, silent flight. They have stocky heads with big yellow eyes. Stiff bristles surround their beak; these ‘whiskers’ may help detect the movement of flying insects, and/or protect their faces from the bites or stings of distressed prey (this is not known for certain).

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 A Tawny Frogmouth disguised against the bark of a tree at Naree in NSW. other in subtropical forests of southern Queensland and north-eastern New South Wales. Photo David and Sue Akers. Where do Tawny Frogmouths live?

Tawny Frogmouths are found throughout Australia, on the mainland and Tasmania. They prefer open woodlands, but are found in a wide variety of habitats – rainforest margins, alpine woodlands, parks and gardens. They’re seldom found in arid regions or in dense rainforests.

A breeding pair often stays in the same territory for more than 10 years. Common where they occur, chances are you’ve picnicked under a tree concealing a Tawny Frogmouth or two!

The species is considered of Least Concern by the International Union for Tawny Frogmouths have powerful beaks Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. and eyes. Photo Jasmin-mae Robinson.

Tawny Frogmouth behaviour

Tawny Frogmouths sleep during the day. At The nest is made of sticks and rests on a horizontal tree branch. dusk they shake their disguise and begin their nocturnal hunt. They catch prey in flight, or by At night the breeding pair take turns incubating the eggs, but the father sitting motionless in a tree and then swooping normally takes the day shift. down on ground-dwelling prey. After the chicks have hatched, the whole Tawny Frogmouths eat insects and centipedes, worms, spiders, snails and slugs. family can be seen roosting on the same

Tawny Frogmouth in temperate rainfor- Sometimes they eat larger prey like frogs, est, Liffey River Reserve, Tasmania. branch, side-by-side. Photo Wayne Lawler/EcoPix. reptiles and small birds and mammals. It’s thought that most of their water requirements Their call is a low booming “Oom-oom-oom-oom” noise. When threatened are obtained from their prey, rainfall and dew. they may hiss loudly and strike a defensive pose that makes them appear larger than life – eyes and beak wide open. But for Tawny Frogmouths, Tawny Frogmouths mate for life and in the wild they can live up to 14 years. disguise is the best form of defence! Females typically lay two to three eggs each breeding season (around August to December). Threats to Tawny Frogmouths

While roosting, Tawny Frogmouths can be taken by Carpet Pythons. When on the ground hunting their own prey, these birds can be killed by feral cats, dogs and foxes. However, habitat loss, whether through land clearing, forestry or intensive bushfires, is the most serious threat to the ongoing health of the species – they’re reluctant to move to other areas if their habitat is destroyed.

Tawny Frogmouths need woodlands with mature trees to nest and roost in, and to serve as a backdrop for their clever disguise.

Organochlorine insecticides (used for termite control) and rat poison, when present in the prey of Tawny Frogmouths cause many deaths in urban areas.

Finally, being nocturnal, the species is vulnerable to vehicle collision – they’re known to fly after headlight-illuminated insects.

What’s Bush Heritage doing?

We have Tawny Frogmouths on most of our reserves and partnership properties, from Tasmania to Queensland and across to the north west of Western Australia. We protect their habitat by conserving native vegetation, allowing trees to reach a mature age and conserving the ecosystem on which they depend. Our feral cat work also reduces the risk of predation.

Tawny Frogmouths are masters of disguise. Photo by volunteer Tom Sjolund at Goonderoo Reserve. 399 401 403 404 360 361362 366 397 405 364 395 358 368 398 400 402 406 407 359 363365 393 396 357 367 369 380 387 394 408 371 383384 390391 409 356 370 372 376378 386 392 355 379 410 382 389 411 354 353 373 374 385388 412 375 377 381 413 352 351 414 We want to see the 349 415 350 347 416 348 417 We want to see 346 345 418 344 343 419 342 647 649 420 341 340 339 645 648 651 421 Burrowing Bettong 334 338 422 333 331332 335 337 643 423 330 644 646 650 326 329 336 424 the Burrowing 324 328 327 425 642 652 320321 319 322323 325 426 427 316 318 625 641 660 428 thriving again one day. 315 317 626 624 653 429 312 314 635 661 666 313 623 659430 431 310 627 634 665 432 433 311 636 654662 434 308 633 622 658 309 628 637 640 663 435 436 Bettong thriving 307 632 667 664 437 306 638639 621 657 438 629 439 305 620 668 440 Help draw the line. 304 631 655 656 441 442 630 669 303 619 446445 443 302 595 444 594 596 447 449 301 448 451 300 593 597 450 299 298 592 598 605 453 again one day. 297 584 585 452 295 296 586 587 591 604 455 294 588 600 602 606 454 293 583 582 590 599 457 456 292 581 580 601 603 607 579 617 459 458 291 589 616 608 Protect our native 290 618 460 461 288 615 609 462 289 287 670 614 610 465 464 463 285 286 613 611 466 284 612 671 468 467 283 470 469 282 672 Helpspecies draw the –line. before it’s 471 281 472 473 280 673 277 474 279 476 278 475 Protect our native species 276 674 477 275 695 274 478 too late. 675 479 273 578 694 676 480 – before it’s too late. 272 481 693 271 270 677 482 269 692 483 691 690 686 683 484 268 577 680 574 689 486 485 687 684 267 681 488 487 264 575 489 266 263 688 685 682 491 494 262 576 490 265 496 492 261 259 573 570 541 493 260 258 497495 257 571 500 498 256 255 253 542 501 499 254 252 572 569 566 504 506 502 251 249 540 247 543 507 503 250 246 567 505 248 510 508 245 565 539 244 243 568 562 544 512 509 242 240 239 563 538 514 511 241 237 564 238 545 516 235 561 513 236 558 537 518 515 234 559 520 233 517 546 536 522 232 526 519 560 554 528 524 231 557 530 521 230 547 229 555 531 529 523 228 525 227 532 527 226 556 549 548 533 223 224 553 223 550 53 534 218 219 220 221 225 217 54 535 11 12 13 14 215 216 551 7 8 9 10 214 55 1 2 3 4 5 6 16 17 18 19 52 50 15 211 213 552 20 131 129 127 125 56 49 23 210 133 51 48 25 21 209 123 57 47 35 34 26 22 208 135 132 130 128 126 46 39 38 37 36 33 32 31 30 28 207 137 124 121 58 45 44 43 42 41 40 24 143 141 139 134 122 27 206 147 145 136 120 29 205 149 140 138 59 204 151 146 144 142 119 148 118 60 203 153 150 202 117 61 155 152 116 62 64 201 154 115 66 157 63 68 200 114 65 70 156 72 81 82 199 159 67 74 76 78 158 113 69 71 83 109 105 73 75 77 79 80 198 160 112 103 84 111 86 197 161 110 108 107 106 104 87 85 196 102 101 88 195 100 99 98 97 96 95 94 93 92 194 162 91 90 89 193 163 192 164 191 165 190 165 167 189 168 188 169 187 170 186 171 185 172 184 173 183 175 182 174 176 181 177 180179178

BHA3715_PREMIUM_ƒ.indd 1 21/2/19 2:15 pm “Alwal was created here from the rainbow, the gold and the blue.”

– MIKE ROSS, OLKOLA KNOWLEDGE HOLDER

The Golden-shouldered Parrot, or Alwal in Olkola language, is one of Australia’s most beautiful, precious birds.

Cut off the fold-out template below so you can make your very own Alwal.

Ready? Follow the simple steps on the reverse of this page... 1. Start with the paper 2. Fold the sheet in half facing back side up – to make a large triangle, like this. making a crease, then unfold.

3. With the paper 4. Now fold the 5. Take each square again, fold two top point of the top corner of the sides inwards to meet kite backwards triangle, fold in the crease you’ve just and down to make to the centre to made, making a kite a triangle again. make a crease. shape.

6. Unfold and pull the inside 7. Fold the flaps upwards corners down and across, along the top guideline. bringing the dotted corners to flatten.

8. Now fold bottom corner 9. Fold Alwal in and fold down again along half as shown. the higher guideline. This will be Alwal’s tail.

10. To make the beak, Congratulations! fold it back and then You’ve finished inwards, following the making Alwal. guidelines. QUESTION 2: Wombats proudly produce cubic poo. MATCH THAT SCAT! Scientists think that is because: a) Wombats are neat creatures that like to stack their poo in tidy piles. b) Wombats eat grass and live in places that Ecologists are always are sometimes dry. Their intestines squeeze the keeping an eye out digested grass to get all the water out of it, first from side-to-side and then from top to bottom. This makes the poo cubic. for scat, or animal HINT 1: “Like my Grandmother c) Wombats like to mark their territory by placing always said, you can their poo on logs and rocks, and cubic poo is poo, because it can tell A LOT about an animal by the useful because it doesn’t roll away. tell us a lot about the QUESTION 1: contents of d) Wombats are kind of cube-shaped, its poo.” so their poo is as well. health of an animal’s This animal is a: habitat and diet. a) Carnivore HINT 2: b) Herbivore “Confused about square poo? Can you come on poo c) Omnivore Not me. It looks patrol with us and d) Insectivore just like mine.” correctly answer all four questions? QUESTION 4: HINT 4: “The scats of some animals are Nearly there, can you especially useful for figure out which animal spreading the seeds of native plants. this scat belongs to? HINT 3: Which flightless native “This scat smells Australian has a) Emu just like the been here?” QUESTION 3: eucalyptus, careful b) Bettong this iconic Australian c) Cassowary Can you identify the animal likes to poo d) Currawong animal that left this scat? while they sleep!” a) Koala b) Green Ringtail Possum c) Greater Glider Answers

d) Common Wombat Question 1: Question 2: Question 3: Question 4: A B A A An Emu deposited this pile of seedy goodness at Charles Darwin Reserve in Western Australia. It’s full of Sandlewood Tree seeds. Hundreds of different plant species benefit from having their seeds spread around by Emus. But all the species on this list are important seed spreaders. is for Bandy Bandy Snake is for Hopping Mouse is for Apostlebird