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13

Papuan Frogmouth (Podargus papuensis) Alternate name(s): "Large Frogmouth", "Plumed Frogmouth*" Size: 50-60 cm Weight: 290-570 g; 415 g (male average), 315 g (female average)

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Similar species

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description Click here for a physical description Papuan Frogmouths are by far the tallest of all Australian frogmouths, with the biggest head and strongest bill. Their highly cryptic plumage is dimorphic, i.e. males and females are different. Male Papuan Frogmouths are primarily light silvery-grey with an abundance of brownish-grey scalloping on the front, while the back is more brownish-grey with lighter scalloping. Female Papuan Frogmouths are slightly smaller than males, have more rufous-brown colours with finer scalloping and less spots on their wings. The tails of both sexes are long and have barred feathers of tapered lengths. The eyes of both sexes are conspicuously red (this is not only a photographic artefact when using a flash). The bill, legs and feet are grey. Twitcher's tip Compared with Tawny Frogmouths, Papuan Frogmouths are much taller (especially when compared with race "phalaenoides" of the Tawny Frogmouth, which is found in the northern tropics). Note that Papuan Frogmouths snap their bills and make hissing sounds, while Tawny Frogmouths don't.

Taxonomy, classification See Papuan Frogmouth at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species Click here for information on habitat and range The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found, based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to ebird.org . The global distribution of the Papuan Frogmouth is available HERE . Papuan Frogmouths populate West Papua (Indonesia), New Guinea, the islands along Torres Strait and the far north-eastern corner of Australia. On the Australian continent, Papuan Frogmouths are found only on Cape York peninsula and on a coastal strip as far South as the estuary of the Burdekin River. Race "rogersi" is found on the tip of Cape York peninsula, to about Cape Melville. Farther South, along the QLD (near-)coastal fringe, one finds race "baileyi". Papuan Frogmouths have a preference for the margins of rainforest, gallery forest and mangrove swamps.

Sightings Click here for sighting information Race "rogersi" M. Mearns reports spotting a Papuan Frogmouth, race "rogersi", at Punsand Bay, at the tip of Cape York peninsula, QLD, in October 2008. M. Eaton reports finding a Papuan Frogmouth, race "rogersi", at Cape Melville, Cape York peninsula, QLD, in August 2019. Race "baileyi" M. Eaton reports spotting Papuan Frogmouths, race "baileyi", at Julatten, QLD, and on the Daintree River, QLD, in July 2018, and at the latter location again in December 2018. J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours found Papuan Frogmouths, race "baileyi", on the Daintree River, QLD, in April 2019, and at Lake Barrine, Atherton Tableland, QLD, in June 2019. Others were found along the Daintree River, QLD, in November 2022.

Photos

Race "rogersi"

ADULT

MALE

Frontal view of a male Papuan Frogmouth (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Cape Melville, Cape York peninsula, QLD, August 2019]

Frontal portrait of a male Papuan Frogmouth (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Cape Melville, Cape York peninsula, QLD, August 2019]

Near-frontal view of a male Papuan Frogmouth with its head turned sideways (photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Punsand Bay, Cape York peninsula, QLD, October 2008]

Near-lateral portrait of a male Papuan Frogmouth (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Cape Melville, Cape York peninsula, QLD, August 2019]

Lateral portrait of a male Papuan Frogmouth (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Cape Melville, Cape York peninsula, QLD, August 2019]

Lateral view of a male Papuan Frogmouth (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Cape Melville, Cape York peninsula, QLD, August 2019]

Lateral view of a male Papuan Frogmouth (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Cape Melville, Cape York peninsula, QLD, August 2019]

Lateral view of a male Papuan Frogmouth (photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Punsand Bay, Cape York peninsula, QLD, October 2008]

Near-dorsal view of a male Papuan Frogmouth (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Cape Melville, Cape York peninsula, QLD, August 2019]

Race "baileyi"

ADULT

MALE

Near-frontal view of a pair of Papuan Frogmouths, male on the left; note how the male is silvery-grey, while the female has rufous hues (photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Daintree River, QLD, April 2019]

FEMALE

Frontal portrait of a female Papuan Frogmouth; note the rufous morphology
(photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Lake Barrine, Atherton Tablelands, QLD, June 2019]

Frontal view of a female Papuan Frogmouth (photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Lake Barrine, Atherton Tablelands, QLD, June 2019]

Near-frontal view of a female Papuan Frogmouth (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Daintree River, QLD, July 2018]

PAIR

(Near-)frontal view of a pair of Papuan Frogmouths; male on the left (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Julatten, QLD, July 2018]

Lateral view of a pair of Papuan Frogmouths; female in front - note the paucity of spots on the wings
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Daintree River, QLD, July 2018]

Breeding information

Breeding season: Aug - Jan

Eggs: 1 - 2

Incubation period: ca. 30? days

Fledging age: 35 - 42? days

Nest building: ?

Incubation: Male & female

Dependent care: Male & female

Nest

"bungobittah", "lar", "malunna", "jindi" [bundjalung] = nest [Aboriginal]

Type: Basket

Material: Sticks

Height above ground: Wide range

Male Papuan Frogmouth on its nest with a chick (photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Daintree River, QLD, November 2022]

Male Papuan Frogmouth on its nest with a chick (photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Daintree River, QLD, November 2022]

Female Papuan Frogmouth on its nest with a chick (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Daintree River, QLD, December 2018]

Eggs

"boyanga", "booyanga", "derinya", "dirandil", "koomura", "mirk", "ngampu", "nooluk", "pateena", "pum-pum" = Egg; "dirundirri" = eggs [Aboriginal]; "gawu" = eggs [gamilaraay]

Size: 50 x 34 mm

Colour: White

Shape: Tapered oval

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Disclaimer: Comments are always welcome. We give no guarantee that the information presented on these pages is always correct or up-to-date. External links are marked as such and we take no responsibility for the contents of external pages. All images on this site are protected by copyright & used by permission of the respective owners. If you wish to reproduce them or any of the material presented on this web site, please contact us: We hereby acknowledge the original custodians of the land which is described on these pages, including the Gomeroi/Gamilaraay people of the North-west Slopes and Plains of NSW, and the traditional owners of other lands and nations within this country. We acknowledge elders past, present and emerging. Sovereignty was never ceded.          Last updated: Fri, 11 November 2022, 3:23 +00:00