Frogmouth on time

[Martin Butterfield <>]

I used the average time 'my' pair of Tawny Frogmouths spend building their nest (16 days) as a predictor of when the male would commence brooding   That indicated he'd assume the position this morning: and so he did.

This has surprised me a little as the pair's behaviour has changed this year.  They seem to have found a new daytime roost site in 2018 as, while I had seen them a few times after dark, hunting on our lawn, I didn't find during the day until 25 August.  Since that date they have usually roosted in a tree close to the nest site but have never roosted snuggled together,  The male has usually perched on a small dead branch about 50cm above the female.  As this behaviour is very different to the past I have speculated that one of the previous pair has died and a new partner acquired.  (As the have used the same nest site - with plenty of, to me, similar alternative sites available in the area - I have assumed at least one of them is of the pair that has roosted here in the past.

Martin Butterfield

http://franmart.blogspot.com.au/