Hodgson's Frogmouth vs Tawny Frogmouth
Batrachostomus hodgsoni compared with Podargus strigoides
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Hodgson's Frogmouth | Tawny Frogmouth |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Batrachostomus hodgsoni | Podargus strigoides |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Podargidae | Podargidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 26.6 cm (10.5 in) | 45.8 cm (18.0 in) |
| Weight | 51.0 g (1.80 oz) | 430.0 g (15.17 oz) |
| Diet | Nocturnal insectivore and occasional small-vertebrate predator; hunts by still-perch and drop technique onto large prey. | Nocturnal ground-gleaning insectivore; drops from a perch onto large insects, frogs, and small lizards below. |
| Clutch Size | 1-2 | 1-5 |
| 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
Tawny Frogmouth
Resonant, repeated 'oom-oom-oom'; low booming hoot; soft and melodious for such a large bird; calls at night from Australian eucalypt forest; alarm a harsh 'grr'
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.
Tawny Frogmouth
Found throughout Australia including Tasmania. Resident in woodland, forest edge, and suburban areas. Widespread and common across the continent.
Conservation Status
Hodgson's Frogmouth
Tawny 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.
Tawny Frogmouth
Cryptic silver-grey upperparts with black shaft streaks; underparts paler grey with dark streaking; females often more rufous-tawny morph; vivid yellow eyes; heavy hooked bill; famous for bark-mimicking upright posture when …
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.
Tawny Frogmouth
A large, stocky frogmouth (34-53 cm) endemic to Australia, widespread across the continent. Silvery-grey mottled plumage provides superb camouflage against tree bark. Nocturnal insectivore pouncing on prey from perches. Australia's most commonly encountered nocturnal bird.