Gould's frogmouth

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Gould's frogmouth
Gould's Frogmouth - Si Phangnga - Thailand MG 9666 (14258331524).jpg
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Podargiformes
Family: Podargidae
Genus: Batrachostomus
Species:
B. stellatus
Binomial name
Batrachostomus stellatus
(Gould, 1837)

Gould's frogmouth (Batrachostomus stellatus) is a nocturnal species of bird in the order Caprimulgiformes and the family Podargidae. It is one of the 12 species in the Batrachostomus genus. [2] Its common name commemorates the English ornithologist and bird artist John Gould (1804-1881). [3]

Contents

Description

Gould's frogmouth is a medium-sized bird that will approximately weight 47 to 48.5 g and measure 21 to 25 cm. [4] It can be seen in two different morphs. They both have the same patterns except that one is light and the other one is dark. [5] They are mostly brown and have a white collar with some scattered white spots on the cover of the wings. The underparts have oval-shaped spots that appears whitish. [4] Contrarily to the other frogmouths, the males and females are very similar. However, some differences arise which permit their identification. The females will have a darker reddish-brown color. Moreover, females have brown iris and yellowish legs while the males have yellow iris and pinkish legs. [6]

Distribution and habitat

This species is found solely in Southeast Asia. More precisely, it is found in Brunei, certain regions of Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and in Southern Thailand. However, it is mostly present in Malaysia and Singapore. [2] The habitat of Gould's frogmouths is tropical rainforest. They are mostly found in forest with native tree species that has not been disturbed by humans. This species usually lives in lowland forests. They can live in altitude as high as 500 m. [6]

Diet

Gould's frogmouths are insectivore like many other frogmouths in the area. They will feed on different types of moths, on certain beetles and on locusts. [6]

Reproduction

The breeding season can differ depending on the location of the birds. In the Malaysian area, it is from June to September and in Borneo it is from February to July. [6] The incubation time is about 30 days and both parents will do the incubation. The nest is made with some of the parent's down and is usually small and shallow. Using some branches and lichens, the parents hide the nest to protect it from predators. [7] The nests are mostly found at 1.3 m high and the females will lay one egg per clutch. The eggs have an oval shape and are white. [4]

Conservation status and threats

According to the IUCN, the Gould's frogmouth species is categorized as near threatened. Its population is continuously decreasing. [8] This is due to the threats to its habitat. In Southern Thailand, there is a critical decline in the bird populations living in the lowland areas because the deforestation of the lowland forests by humans is destroying the habitat of different species. [9] Therefore, Gould's frogmouth species is facing local extinction in Thailand. However, this species is spread in many different regions of Southeast Asia, so it reduces the risks of total extinction. [4]

Related Research Articles

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The frogmouths are a group of nocturnal birds related to owlet-nightjars, swifts, and hummingbirds. Species in the group are distributed in the Indomalayan and Australasian realms.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sri Lanka frogmouth</span> Species of bird

The Sri Lanka frogmouth, Sri Lankan frogmouth or Ceylon frogmouth is a small frogmouth found in the Western Ghats of south India and Sri Lanka. Related to the nightjars, it is nocturnal and is found in forest habitats. The plumage coloration resembles that of dried leaves and the bird roosts quietly on branches, making it difficult to see. Each has a favourite roost that it uses regularly unless disturbed. It has a distinctive call that is usually heard at dawn and dusk. The sexes differ slightly in plumage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mindoro bleeding-heart</span> Species of bird

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">White-bellied minivet</span> Species of bird

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maleo</span> Species of bird

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Philippine frogmouth</span> Species of bird

The Philippine frogmouth is a nocturnal bird that can be found throughout the Philippine archipelago. It is common in lowland forests and maturing second growth. There is little information about the bird. It feeds on grasshoppers, cicadas, crickets and beetles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mindoro hornbill</span> Species of bird

The Mindoro hornbill is a species of hornbill in the family Bucerotidae. It is endemic to forests on Mindoro in the Philippines found in tropical moist lowland forests. As is the case with all Philippine tarictic hornbills, it was once considered a subspecies of P. panini. It is the only tarictic hornbill where both sexes are creamy-white and black. The sexes are very similar, differing primarily in the colour of the ocular ring. It is threatened by habitat loss, and is consequently considered endangered by the IUCN.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Silky-tailed nightjar</span> Species of bird

The silky-tailed nightjar is a species of nightjar birds in the family Caprimulgidae. It is found in Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Peru. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blyth's frogmouth</span> Species of bird

Blyth's frogmouth is a species of bird in the family Podargidae. It lives in the tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests of Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam. It is sometimes considered conspecific with the Javan and Palawan frogmouths.This bird is typically only seen at night time in the lowlands and the lower forests, about to eight hundred meters. There are different characteristics to the male and the female birds. The males have a whitish lower belly with random white blotches on its breasts. The wings of the male also typically show extensive barring. The females are a warm brown, with the white blotches on the breast in the pattern of a necklace. The females also have a less wing barring than the males do. Both males and females vocalizations give harsh nasal croaks. In addition to these croaks, the males also vocalize rippling clear whistles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Large frogmouth</span> Species of bird

The large frogmouth is a species of bird in the family Podargidae. It is found in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand, in subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest. Logging of its habitat poses a risk to its survival, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has listed it as being "near-threatened".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sunda frogmouth</span> Species of bird

The Sunda frogmouth is a species of bird, typically placed in the family Podargidae of the order Caprimulgiformes. Recent research suggests, however, that the old order Podargiformes should be re-established, wherein the Asian frogmouths would be placed in their own family, Batrachostomidae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hodgson's frogmouth</span> Species of bird

Hodgson's frogmouth is a species of bird in the family Podargidae. It is found in Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam. Its natural habitat is temperate forests.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Javan frogmouth</span> Species of bird

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.

The Bornean frogmouth is bird species in the family Podargidae. Some taxonomists consider it to be a subspecies of the short-tailed frogmouth, but others consider it to be a distinct species. It is found in Indonesia and Malaysia and is endemic to the island of Borneo. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest and subtropical or tropical moist montane forest. It is threatened by habitat loss.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sumatran frogmouth</span> Species of bird

The Sumatran frogmouth, also known as the short-tailed frogmouth and the pale-faced frogmouth, is a nocturnal bird belonging to the family Podargidae. It is endemic to the island of Sumatra in Indonesia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Smoke-colored pewee</span> Species of bird

The smoke-colored pewee is a species of bird in the family Tyrannidae. The species is characterized by a uniform dusky-grey plumage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yellow-breasted flowerpecker</span> Species of bird

The yellow-breasted flowerpecker is a species of bird in the family Dicaeidae. It is found in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, and Thailand. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest and subtropical or tropical moist montane forest.

Pinsker's hawk-eagle, south Philippine hawk-eagle or Mindanao hawk-eagle, is a species of bird of prey in the family Accipitridae. It is endemic to the Philippines native to the islands of Leyte, Samar, Negros, Basilan, Bohol and Mindanao. It is found in primary moist lowland forest and tropical moist montane forest up to 1,900 m. It is threatened by habitat loss and hunting. IUCN estimates just 600–800 mature birds left.

The Mindoro racket-tail is a species of parrot in the Psittaculinae family. It was formerly considered conspecific with the blue-crowned racket-tail. It is endemic to the island of Mindoro in the Philippines and it occurs in tropical moist lowland forest. It is threatened by habitat loss and trapping for the cage-bird trade.

References

  1. BirdLife International (2017). "Batrachostomus stellatus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2017: e.T22689600A110804132. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-1.RLTS.T22689600A110804132.en . Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 Avibase (n.d.). "Podarge étoilé".{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  3. Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael (2003). Whose Bird? Men and Women Commemorated in the Common Names of Birds. London: Christopher Helm. pp. 145–146.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Holyoak (2016). "Gould's Frogmouth". Birds of the World.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  5. Ebird (n.d.). "Podarge étoilé". Merlin.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  6. 1 2 3 4 Le-Dantec (2010). "Podarge étoilé". oiseaux.net.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  7. Schwartz (2008). "Caprimulgiform". Encyclopedia Britannica.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  8. Encyclopedia of Life (2018). "Gould's Frogmouth". National museum of natural history.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  9. Treesucon and Round (1989). "Report on threatened birds in Thailand". Tiger Paper.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)