PAPUAN FROGMOUTH
Photo: Courtesy of Damon Ramsey BSc.(Zool) Biologist Guide
PAPUAN FROGMOUTH: Podargus papuensis 49 cm In Australia the Papuan Frogmouth is restricted to north Queensland. It occurs in rainforests, mangroves and dense riparian vegetation. The Papuan Frogmouth is nocturnal, and is usually seen singly, but sometimes in pairs. The male is greyish and the female is a little more reddish. Similar to the Tawny Frogmouth, the Papuan is larger and has red eyes. Small numbers occur in rainforest around Chambers Wildlife Rainforest Lodge .
Additional Information: Courtesy of Damon Ramsey The Papuan Frogmouth has redder eyes (in daylight or eyeshine) than the orange eyes of the Tawny Frogmouth. It's call, like the Tawny Frogmouth, is a strange, low continuous series of “ohm-ohm-ohm…”. It is the more common of the frogmouths in the tropical rainforest of the coastal lowlands, such as along the Daintree River.
Script: Courtesy of Damon Ramsey BSc.(Zool) Biologist Guide Additional Information: Environmental Protection Agency Owls, like many nocturnal animals, have good night vision, but rely also on their excellent hearing - up to four times better than any other animal tested - which allows some to hunt in complete darkness. Because their left and right ears are placed at different levels on their heads there is a slight difference in the time taken for a particular sound to reach each ear. This time-lag enables the owl to pinpoint the source of the sound more accurately. The higher ear has an opening facing downwards and is more sensitive to sounds from below. Feathers within the characteristic facial disc are positioned so as to funnel sound to the ears. Stiff feathers bordering the ear slits are attached to moveable flaps so an owl can change the shape of its ear opening and focus its hearing. Frogmouths have large eyes, giving them good night vision, wide gaping bills for feeding on insects and much weaker feet than owls. They are only distantly related to owls. Frogmouths flit from perch to perch, pouncing on prey which they detect by movement. Tawny frogmouths eat only nocturnal insects but Papuan frogmouths also catch lizards, frogs, rodents and small birds. (Source: Environmental Protection Agency)
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