The Javan frogmouth, sometimes known as Horsfield's frogmouth, is a species of bird in the family Podargidae. It is sometimes considered conspecific with the Blyth's and Palawan frogmouths. Found in Southeast Asia, Indonesia and the Philippines, it lives in subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest.
Region
Southeast Asia
Typical Environment
Occurs in Sundaic lowland and foothill forests, including Java, Sumatra, Borneo, and peninsular parts of Malaysia and southern Thailand; records from the Philippines pertain to closely related forms when treated as a complex. It inhabits primary and secondary evergreen forest, forest edges, bamboo thickets, and well-wooded plantations. By day it roosts quietly on horizontal branches, often low to mid-storey. At night it hunts along trails, clearings, and gaps within forest. It tolerates some disturbance but is most numerous in intact lowland forest.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1200 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
A master of camouflage, the Javan frogmouth sits motionless by day, mimicking a broken branch to avoid detection. It has an exceptionally wide gape used to snatch flying insects in the dark. Pairs often roost and nest quietly in dense foliage, making the species easy to overlook. Its soft, low calls are usually the best clue to its presence at night.
Temperament
solitary and territorial
Flight Pattern
short, silent sallies with brief, rapid wingbeats
Social Behavior
Usually seen alone or in pairs, especially during the breeding season. Pairs maintain small territories and roost on exposed branches where they rely on camouflage. The nest is a small, flimsy pad on a branch, and both sexes participate in incubation and chick care. Activity is almost entirely nocturnal.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Gives soft, low, repetitive hoots and whistles, often in series with long pauses. Calls carry modestly through forest understory and are most active at dusk and pre-dawn.
Plumage
Cryptic, finely mottled and vermiculated plumage that resembles bark and leaf litter; both grey-brown and rufous morphs occur, often with buff and black speckling.
Diet
Feeds mainly on flying insects such as moths, beetles, and cicadas. It hunts by sallying from a low to mid-level perch, snapping prey with its wide gape. It may also glean insects from foliage and branches near perches. Foraging is typically quiet and deliberate.
Preferred Environment
Forest interior and edges with open perches along trails, streams, and clearings. Frequently uses low branches and snags in dense understory where prey activity is concentrated.
