Gould's frogmouth facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Gould's frogmouth |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Batrachostomus
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| Species: |
stellatus
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The Gould's frogmouth (Batrachostomus stellatus) is a special type of bird. It is active at night, which means it is a nocturnal animal. This bird belongs to a group called frogmouths because of its wide, frog-like mouth. It is one of 12 species in the Batrachostomus family. The bird is named after John Gould, a famous English bird expert and artist.
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About Gould's Frogmouth
Gould's frogmouth is a medium-sized bird. It usually weighs about 47 to 48.5 grams, which is like a few strawberries. It measures about 21 to 25 centimeters long, which is roughly the length of a ruler.
What They Look Like
These birds can appear in two main colors: a lighter brown or a darker brown. Both types have similar patterns on their feathers. They are mostly brown and have a white band around their neck. You might also see small white spots scattered on their wings. Their belly feathers have whitish, oval-shaped spots.
It can be tricky to tell male and female Gould's frogmouths apart because they look very similar. However, there are a few small differences:
- Female birds tend to have a darker reddish-brown color.
- Females have brown eyes and yellowish legs.
- Male birds have yellow eyes and pinkish legs.
Where They Live
Gould's frogmouths are only found in Southeast Asia. You can spot them in countries like Brunei, parts of Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Southern Thailand. They are most common in Malaysia and Singapore.
Their Home Environment
These birds love to live in tropical rainforests. They prefer forests with native trees that have not been disturbed by people. They usually live in lowland forests, which are forests found at lower elevations, up to about 500 meters high.
What They Eat
Gould's frogmouths are insectivores, meaning they mostly eat insects. Like many other frogmouths, they hunt for their food at night. Their diet includes different kinds of moths, various beetles, and locusts.
Reproduction and Life Cycle
The time when Gould's frogmouths lay eggs can change depending on where they live.
- In Malaysia, they usually breed from June to September.
- In Borneo, their breeding season is from February to July.
Nesting and Eggs
The eggs take about 30 days to hatch. Both the male and female parents take turns sitting on the eggs to keep them warm. The nest is usually small and shallow. It is made from soft feathers from the parents' bodies. To keep their nest safe from animals that might try to eat their eggs, the parents hide it using small branches and lichens. Nests are often found about 1.3 meters high in trees. Female frogmouths usually lay just one white, oval-shaped egg at a time.
Protecting Gould's Frogmouths
The IUCN says that Gould's frogmouths are a "near threatened" species. This means their numbers are slowly going down.
Why They Are in Danger
The main reason their population is shrinking is because their homes are being destroyed. In Southern Thailand, for example, many lowland forests are being cut down by humans. This deforestation takes away the habitat for many different bird species, including Gould's frogmouths. Because of this, Gould's frogmouths are facing local extinction in Thailand. However, since this species lives in many different parts of Southeast Asia, the risk of them disappearing completely is lower.
