The Dulit frogmouth is a little-known species of bird in the frogmouth family, Podargidae, with a patchily recorded distribution in the Borneo montane rain forests to which it is endemic. The species is monotypic.
Region
Borneo
Typical Environment
Occurs patchily in submontane and montane evergreen forests, especially on ridges, steep slopes, and along forested streams. It favors dense midstory and vine-tangled areas that provide concealed daytime roosts. Most records are from northern and central Borneo highlands in Sarawak and adjacent mountains, with possible occurrences in Sabah and Kalimantan. It avoids heavily disturbed lowland forests and plantations, persisting best in primary or minimally logged habitats.
Altitude Range
300–1600 m
Climate Zone
Highland
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
The Dulit frogmouth is a cryptic, nocturnal species endemic to Borneo’s montane rainforests and is rarely seen, with few confirmed records. It is monotypic and closely resembles other regional frogmouths, which has contributed to past identification challenges. Its survival depends on intact submontane and montane forest, where it roosts motionless by day and hunts insects at night.
Temperament
solitary and secretive
Flight Pattern
short, silent flights between perches
Social Behavior
Typically roosts singly or in pairs, relying on camouflage to avoid detection. Breeding is poorly known, but like other frogmouths it likely places a small nest on a branch and lays a single egg. Parental duties are presumed to be shared, with the male often incubating by day.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A soft, low series of resonant hoots and booming notes delivered at night, often spaced and repetitive. Calls can be ventriloquial and easily overlooked, blending into the forest soundscape.
Plumage
Heavily mottled and barred brown, rufous, and grey with fine vermiculations that mimic bark and leaf litter. Shows pale spotting on the scapulars and subtle whitish barring on the throat. Dense rictal bristles frame a very wide, frog-like gape.
Diet
Primarily takes nocturnal insects, including moths, beetles, orthopterans, and cicadas. Hunts from low to midstory perches, sallying out to snatch prey in short bursts. May occasionally glean prey from foliage or the ground.
Preferred Environment
Feeds along forest edges, trails, and stream corridors within submontane and montane forest interiors. Prefers areas with open flyways beneath the canopy adjacent to dense cover for quick retreats.
