Frogmouth

At 6:20 yesterday morning you would have seen me running down the street in my pyjamas with a towel in my hand, then returning home with a gently wrapped bird. A neighbour had been walking her dog and noticed a tawny frogmouth beside the footpath and messaged me with concern as she was running late for work. 

I found an empty box and set the bird in it on the table. It hopped up and sat on the edge of the box while I called 1300ANIMAL. While on hold I grabbed my camera and got this shot as they morning sun came through the window. I was advised that tawny frogmouths will often go to ground when attacked by other birds and stay there until they feel safe enough to fly, and that if I put it on my back deck it should fly away within half an hour. If it didn't I was to take it to the vet. It looked a little ruffled, but I couldn't see any injuries, so we hoped for the best.

The children and I watched as the tawny frogmouth gazed at the garden from it's cardboard box perch. Eventually, it flapped its wings and attempted to fly, but nosedived onto the table. It sat there and fell asleep for an hour before we tucked it up with a tea towel and placed it in the box, handing it over to our local 24 hour vet who will locate a carer to rehabilitate it.

Despite the colouring and the fact that they are nocturnal, frogmouths aren't owls. But they are incredibly striking owls and I do hope this little fellow will be back in the wild soon.