DESCRIPTIONS Of* OUR NATIVE BIRDS. H 



TAWNY-SHOULDERED PODARGUS, or "PROGMOUTH." 

 (Podargus humeralis)— (^owZri's Hand Bool: 

 (PodargUS Strigoides)— -Mathews' Hand List. 



OTHER SPECIES j 



IN , Podargus nivicri. 



SOUTH AUSTRALIA. ) 



Size. — The podargus is about the size of a wliite cockatoo, and measures from 

 beak to tail about 18in. 



Bill. — The bill of the frogmouth is leaden colored and very large, but obscured 

 with fine projecting hairlike feathers. The wide open moutli reminds 

 one of that of a frog, hence the popular name frogmouth. 



Feet and Legs. — The feet and legs are greyish brown. 



Plumage. — The general color varies to some extent. In some localities the podargi 

 are much greyer than in others. This variation in color is probably 

 due to environment, for in the sugargum country of Eyre's Peninsula 

 the grey appearance of the bird matched that of the rough bark of the 

 trees, and no doubt helped to protect the birds when asleep in the 

 daytime. The head is covered with brown feathers, each marked with 

 a thin light stripe and tipped with dull white. The feathers on the 

 back are brown, speckled with grey and dark brown. The wings are 

 light brown, spotted with dark grey and buff. These light markings 

 give the appearance of indistinct bands across the wings. The under- 

 side of the wing presents a similarly barred appearance, with dull white 

 markings. The tail feathers are light brown, each having a dark spot 

 near the extremity, which is tipped with white. The whole effect is 

 light brown barred with dark brown. The face and under surface of 

 the body is of a light-grey color marked with brown, each feather having 

 a longitudinal brown streak down the centre, which gives a striped ap- 

 pearance to the plumage. 



Habitat. — The podargi prefer country well timbered with eucalypts. 



FooD.-^Their food consists chiefly of the larger nocturnal insects and of small / 

 animals such as mice and birds. 



Nest. — The nest is composed of light dead twigs, loosely woven to form a shallow 

 plate-shaped nest. The usual place selected by the bird is in a fork 

 made by branches rising from a large horizontal limb. The breeding 

 season lasts from August to January. 



Egos.— The eggs, which number two to three in a clutch, are white, oval in shape, 

 and measure about Ifin. x l^in. 



Note. — When the podargus is disturbed during the day time, it points its l)eak 

 upward and parallel to any limb near it. In this way, by keeping very still and 

 closing its eyes, it mimics a dead branch and saves itself from detection. 



