The Tawny Frogmouth (Podargus Strigoides)

They are birds, they are not owls but they are more closely related to Kookaburras.

They are found throughout Australia. The adult Frogmouths are about 50 cm from head to tail ( 350_530 mm) in length, but they are larger in southeastern Australia than in the north.

The male has a greyer plumage but the female has a browner plumage and it is less mottled in colour.The sexes are similar, the male slightly larger and the claws slightly darker. Their upper parts are dark grey streaked with black, tipped with white and russet flecks. They have a face grayish/ white brown and dusky. They have white tipped bristles spreading towards the tip of bill is olive to black grey and they have a yellow mouth. Their eyes are lemon to orange yellow, their tails are grey barred with black and their feet are olive brown.

They blend in with the trunk of trees and they are look like a broken branch of a tree. They are indistinguishable while roosting in trees. They sound like an " oom oom oom " call which they repeat 10_50 times like a motor that won't start and sharp " took took " in alarm.

They are nocturnal.they live in the same area year after year. they growl, hiss and snap in threat or defence. They hunt for food and mainly insects. The breeding period is from August to December. The female lays 1_3 eggs which they are incubated for about 20 to 32 days by both parents, each spends up to 12 hours in incubation and the male often does it by day. The Young fly in 25 -35 days.

MY FIRST DAY IN AUSTRALIA

My first day in Australia was really a beautiful day because I met my husband after one and a half years in Lebanon by myself.
I left my parents on 14 December, sad, crying because it was the first time I was going to be alone without my mum. On the plane I was thinking about the meeting with my husband. I arrived to the airport om 15 December. The first person I saw was my brother in law, then it was my husband waiting for me holding a bouquet of red flowers. I left my bags and I ran to hug him and kiss him.
All his family was waiting with him, so I said hello to everyone. I had only met his parents before. On the way home my father in law called my parents and gave me the phone. I was happy because I was with my husband but I felt sad because I had left my parents. We arrived to my parents in law's home with his family, then we had dinner together.
i was tired, when everyone left I had a shower then I sat down to relax. I was speaking with my husband about my life in this year by myself. We stayed awake till four o'clock in the morning.
That was my first day in Australia. It was a day which I will never forget.

Hi everybody

image by NordNordWest

My name is Maysaa. I'm from Bint Jbeil, in the south of Lebanon, although I lived mainly in Beirut. I've been in Australia since December 2008. I'm a student, I'm studying English at St George Tafe on level 3.