Philippine Frogmouth

Batrachostomus septimus

A medium-sized night bird of lowland and montane forest; the only frogmouth in its range. Rufous and gray-brown color morphs occur, as well as intermediates. Plumage is darker in the wing, with irregular barring on the wings and tail and fine barring on the belly. Note the broken white chest band and white spots on the wing. Female is similar to male but has a narrower white collar at the back. Very well camouflaged; looks like a broken branch during the day. Voice consists of a variety of raspy calls, including a downslurred “gow!”

Identification

Like all frogmouths, the Philippine frogmouth has large eyes for better night vision, a large flat bill for capturing insects, and cryptic plumage which allows them to be camouflaged while perched during the day. They are found in the Philippines, and can be confused with the Philippine Nightjar, which despite its similar shape has very different plumage.<p>The Philippine frogmouth is a medium frogmouth, being 24–26 cm long, with two color morphs (and intermediate phases); one is a chestnut rufous with deep rufous ground color, the other a lighter brown with buff and black barring. Both morphs have three distinct light buff or white bands; one on their hindneck, a second on their lower throat, and a third around the lower breast. They have a yellow-orange iris and brown feet and bill. Although males and females have a similar appearance, females are typically darker and plainer.

Taxonomy

Genus: Batrachostomus; Family: Podargidae; Order: Podargiformes.

Scientific name
Batrachostomus septimus
Authority
Tweeddale, 1877
Order
Podargiformes
Family
Podargidae
Genus
Batrachostomus

Range and habitat

The Philippine frogmouth is a sedentary bird, endemic to the Philippines, and is widely distributed within the archipelago, though noticeably absent from Palawan. Though rare, there have been sightings in India and Australia. They are thought to be found in lowland and maturing (but not mature) second growth forests, but their habitat is not known in detail as they are only active at night and do not sing songs or have loud calls.

Migration
Resident species

Behavior

Migration pattern: Resident species.

Conservation

Population trend: declining.

Population trend
declining

Photos

Distribution

Bird Calls

Other Birds

Brown-throated Parakeet

Brown-throated Parakeet

Eupsittula pertinax

Green above with paler yellowish belly and long, pointed tail. Average size for a parakeet. Distinctive brown cheek and upper breast usually quite obvious; can be trickier to see in flight. Almost always in small flocks, which feed inconspicuously on fruit in gardens, forest edges, and second growth. More obvious in flight; listen for grating, squeaky calls.

Red-billed Duck

Red-billed Duck

Anas erythrorhyncha

This small duck has a solidly chocolate-brown ‘skull cap’, white cheeks, and a distinctive pink-red bill with a dark saddle. In flight, the buff flight feathers with a black stripe are distinctive on otherwise all-brown wings. It prefers foraging on open fresh water, with seeds and plant matter forming the majority of its diet. The similar Blue-billed Teal differs from Red-billed Duck by being smaller and having a silvery-blue bill and dark smudges on the cheeks. Cape Teal and Bernier’s Teal (the latter endemic to Madagascar) both lack the strongly contrasting face pattern of Red-billed Duck.

White-faced Plover

White-faced Plover

Anarhynchus dealbatus

A small, pale plover with sandy upperparts, pinkish-colored legs, and a black bill. Male in breeding plumage has a mostly rufous crown and small black marks on top of the head and at the sides of the breast. The face is mostly white, including the area between the bill and eye. Breeding female and non-breeding adults duller, lacking black and rufous. The face is still pale, though there can be a hint of brown between the bill and eye. Breeding range and habitat unknown. In migration and winter, found along the coast on sandy beaches, dry mudflats, and salt ponds. Often joins mixed-species shorebird flocks, especially with other plovers. Separated from Common Ringed and Little Ringed Plovers by the lack of a complete dark band across the breast. Very similar to Kentish Plover. Breeding male is separated by the white (rather than black) area between bill and eye, and by the more restricted black on the head and sides of the breast. Female and non-breeding birds more difficult to separate, but note the whiter face, smaller dark patch at the side of the breast, paler legs, slightly heavier bill, and slightly broader white stripe through the wing (visible in flight). Also similar to Malaysian Plover, but separated by the whiter face (including the area between the bill and eye), less scaly-looking back, and smaller dark smudge at the side of the breast. Breeding male further distinguished by the lack of a black collar at the back of the neck.

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