Tawny Frogmouth nests

["Philip Veerman" <>]

Yes what Martin says is correct and the usual thing for them but they also (occasionally or often)use old nests of Choughs and a wide range of other birds. Described with a list in HANZAB.

 

Philip

 

-----Original Message-----
From: martin butterfield [
Sent: Monday, 19 September 2011 3:50 PM
To: Robin Eckermann
Cc: John Brannan;
Subject: Re: [canberrabirds] Super Parrot (not) and Tawny Frogmouth

A nest of twigs in a fork
is definitely the go.  Last year I followed the process of construction
quite closely and it was as described by Kaplan where the birds piled up the
sticks in the nest site and then progressively squashed them down until the
first egg was laid.  After that the male sat all daylight every day. 
The only way I found the nest this year (in a different tree) was through
spotting the male sitting on it: fortunately it was an ideal site and I had a
suspicion to where they might have gone as a result of their changed roost
preferences earlier in the year..

The female takes a turn at brooding
during the night.  In theory she moves to daylight roosts closer to the
nest site as brooding progresses, but that isn't happening this year with 'my'
pair.  I suspect it is where she is feeding when bedtime arises that
determines her preference.  When the chicks are getting close to fledging
they may be left exposed a bit at night as both parents have to forage to keep
up with their appetites. 

Martin

On Mon, Sep 19, 2011 at 3:37 PM, Robin Eckermann <> wrote:

At 03:21 PM 19/09/2011, John Brannan wrote:

If the behaviour of your Tawny Frogmouths is anything like those I've been watching up at the Pinnacle, then the other TF is almost certainly sitting on a nest in a nearby tree. Look around carefully, particularly at horizontal stretches of tree limb, possibly where a limb forks.

(and Martin also posted a similar message)

Indeed - the pair of them have been huddling together for more than a month ... but I only spotted one today. I suspect you're right that the other was nearby ... but in my struggle to keep up with my wife (who stops for nothing on her morning walk), I didn't have time to look around - it could have even been in the same tree. I'll have a more careful look next time I go up the hill.

One of two of the neighbours who walk the same area reported to me last year that a pair of TFs were using a mud nest that is within about 50m of one of the other regular perches used by TFs - possibly originally constructed by White-winged Choughs. This location is much lower on the hill, and I haven't seen a TF at this perch for many months. I don't know whether their reports were accurate or not, but the guides I use describe a loosely constructed nest of sticks. Anyway, I'll keep an eye on the mud nest this year too.

Regards ... Robin