Blyth’s frogmouth is a species of bird in the family Podargidae. They are brownish or rufescent brown with a slightly round bill and tail, and have tufts of bristles in front of the eyes and at the base of the bill. Batrachostomus occur from India and Sri Lanka, across mainland southeast Asia and as far as Borneo, Java, and Sumatra. More specifically, the Blyth’s frogmouths are scattered between southeastern Myanmar and Indonesia. Like other frogmouth species, they are insectivorous.
Region
Southeast Asia
Typical Environment
Found from southeastern Myanmar and peninsular Thailand through Peninsular Malaysia to Sumatra and Borneo. It inhabits primary and mature secondary lowland and foothill evergreen forest, often near streams and forest edges. The species favors dense understory or mid-storey perches where it can sally for insects at night. It roosts motionless on horizontal branches by day, relying on cryptic plumage to avoid detection.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1200 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Blyth’s frogmouth is a nocturnal forest bird of the family Podargidae, renowned for its bark-like camouflage and rigid, upright roosting posture that makes it nearly invisible by day. It uses a very wide, frog-like gape and forward-pointing bristles to snatch flying insects from the air. Despite the name, it is not a frog-eater and is more closely related to nightjars than to owls. It typically nests on a small pad of twigs bound with spider silk on a horizontal branch, often raising a single chick.
Temperament
solitary and territorial
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with brief glides between perches
Social Behavior
Usually roosts singly or in pairs on horizontal branches, adopting a stiff, elongated posture to mimic a broken branch. Pairs are monogamous during the breeding season and defend small territories. The nest is a small, shallow platform of plant fibers and spider webs placed on an exposed branch; typically a single egg is laid and both parents share care.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
The voice is a series of low, resonant hoots or booming notes delivered at night, often spaced evenly and repeated for long periods. Calls can carry through dense forest and are used for territory advertisement and pair contact.
