Hodgson's Frogmouth vs Marbled Frogmouth
Batrachostomus hodgsoni compared with Podargus ocellatus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Hodgson's Frogmouth | Marbled Frogmouth |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Batrachostomus hodgsoni | Podargus ocellatus |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Podargidae | Podargidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 26.6 cm (10.5 in) | 35.2 cm (13.9 in) |
| Weight | 51.0 g (1.80 oz) | 205.83333333333334 g (7.26 oz) |
| Diet | Nocturnal insectivore and occasional small-vertebrate predator; hunts by still-perch and drop technique onto large prey. | Strictly nocturnal; takes large beetles, frogs, and lizards by silent perch-drop onto the forest floor. |
| Clutch Size | 1-2 | 1-2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Hodgson's Frogmouth
Soft, whistled 'whoo-whoo'; gentle mellow hoot from Himalayan forest; calls at dusk and night; pairs duet with slightly different pitch; alarm a prolonged hiss
Marbled Frogmouth
Loud 'oom-oom-oom' or bubbling cackle; resonant hollow hooting; calls from New Guinea forest at night; alarm a harsh hiss; repertoire includes soft cooing and chuckling
Geographic Range & Migration
Hodgson's Frogmouth
Found from northeastern India through Myanmar, Thailand, and Indochina. Resident in foothill and hill forest at 300–2,000 m elevation.
Marbled Frogmouth
Found in New Guinea and Australia (Cape York Peninsula). Resident in tropical rainforest, vine thickets, and dense monsoon forest.
Conservation Status
Hodgson's Frogmouth
Marbled Frogmouth
How to Tell Them Apart
Hodgson's Frogmouth
Males grey-brown with dense dark vermiculations and bold white scapular spots; females rufous-chestnut with white-spotted wing coverts; relatively large Batrachostomus; ranges across Himalayan foothills and mainland Southeast Asia.
Marbled Frogmouth
Intricately marbled chestnut-brown and black upperparts with pale buff ocellations; underparts pale buff barred dark brown; large yellow eyes; massive hooked bill; female averages more rufous-chestnut than grey-brown male.
About These Birds
Hodgson's Frogmouth
A medium-sized frogmouth (24-27 cm) found in foothill and montane forests of the eastern Himalayas and Southeast Asia. Brown plumage with bold white spotting. Nocturnal insectivore of dense forest undergrowth. Found at elevations of 300-2,000 m.
Marbled Frogmouth
A large frogmouth (38-50 cm) found in New Guinea and surrounding islands and northeast Australia. Mottled brown, black, and white plumage resembling tree bark. Nocturnal insectivore with a wide, hooked bill. Inhabits rainforest and forest edges.