Tawny Frogmouth, perched on a wheelie bin at Smiths Lake, New South Wales

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Tawny Frogmouth, perched on a suburban recycling bin at Smith Lake, New South Wales. While the camouflage of the frogmouth works perfectly when it's perched on a tree, the yellow of the bin lid really doesn't help here. Often mistaken for an owl, the frogmouth is actually related to the nightjar. While it does have anisodactyl feet (one pointing backwards) like an owl, it doesn't fly to hunt - rather it perches, and waits for it food to come by - insects, frogs and rodents, to come by, then it strikes with its beak.

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Size: 5616px × 3744px
Location: Smiths Lake, New South Wales, Australia
Photo credit: © deadlyphoto.com / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: animal, anisodactyl, australia, australian, bird, birdlife, birds, birdwatching, camouflage, caprimulgiformes, conservation, feathers, frogmouth, nature, nocturnal, phalenoids, plumage, podargidae, podargus, strigoides, tawny, wildlife