Frogmouth

The frogmouths are a group of nocturnal birds related to the nightjars. They are tropical species found from India across southern Asia to Australia.

They are named for their large flattened hooked bills and huge frog-like gape, which they use to take insects. Their flight is weak.

They rest horizontally on branches during the day, camouflaged by their cryptic plumage. Up to three white eggs are laid in the fork of a branch, and are incubated by the female at night and the male in the day.

The three Podargus species are large frogmouths restricted to Australia and New Guinea, and have have massive flat broad bills. The ten Batrachostomus frogmouths are found in tropical Asia. They have smaller, more rounded bills.

Recent research suggests that the two groups may not be as closely related as previously thought, and that the Asian species may be separable as a new family, the Batrachostomidae.

The relationships with other species are as below:

Order: Caprimulgiformes

• Family: Steatornithidae Oilbird
• Family: Podargidae frogmouths
  • Tawny Frogmouth, Podargus strigoides
  • Marbled Frogmouth, Podargus ocellatus
  • Papuan Frogmouth, Podargus papuensis
  • Large Frogmouth, Batrachostomus auritus
  • Dulit Frogmouth, Batrachostomus harterti
  • Philippine Frogmouth, Batrachostomus septimus
  • Gould's Frogmouth, Batrachostomus stellatus
  • Sri Lanka Frogmouth, Batrachostomus moniliger
  • Hodgson's Frogmouth, Batrachostomus hodgsoni
  • Short-tailed Frogmouth, Batrachostomus poliolophus
  • Javan Frogmouth, Batrachostomus javensis
  • Sunda Frogmouth, Batrachostomus cornutus
• Family: Nyctibiidae potoos
• Family: Aegothelidae owlet-nightjars
• Family: Caprimulgidae nightjars