Order: Caprimulgiformes

Family:  Podargidae

Scientific name: Batrachostomus moniliger, Blyth, 1849

IUCN Red list status-Least Concern

Did you know?

  1. Sri Lanka Frogmouth is the only frogmouth Species found in Kerala.
  2. Sri Lanka Frogmouth is also known as Ceylon Frogmouth.

Description

The Sri Lanka Frogmouth is a small nocturnal bird, measuring about 22 cm in length and 44-46 Gms in weight. The males are pale gray brown in colour. They have thin barring and spotted crown. Females are chestnut brown with white spots on wing coverts, belly and flanks. Short and stiff bristles are seen surrounding the eyes. The bill is wide and slight hooked. The nostrils are slit-like and the eyes face forward. The plumage coloration and patterns make them to mix with surroundings and it is very difficult to spot them.

Diet

The Sri Lanka Frogmouth is mainly insectivores. Insects, beetles and moths etc are their primary food. They catch the insects in flight or gleaning them from the ground or tree branch. The forage time is mainly night and it is done solitarily or in pairs.

Habitat

The habitat of frogmouth species is dense tropical forests, evergreen forests and bamboo thickets. Sometimes they are seen in plantations near to forests. In India it is distributed in the Western Ghats of South India especially in Kerala. It is found in Sri Lanka also.

Reproductive Behaviour

The breeding season is between January and April. The nest is made with moss, down feathers, lichens, barks etc and is placed in the fork of trees. Normally one single egg is laid. It is incubated by female in night and male during day. Incubation period is not exactly determined. The young ones are cared by both birds.

Call

The call is a loud, screechy “shkeerauw” and rapid “skwar-skwar-skwar” sound.

Related Species and Sub Species

 

Migratory Behaviour

Common Resident