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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
Environment
Stephanie Convery

Tawny frogmouths take patience to appreciate. But they will reward you with insights into their remarkable lives

The tawny frogmouth family from the Yalukit Willam Nature reserve
The tawny frogmouth family from the Yalukit Willam nature reserve. Photograph: Danny Hen

The most popular family in my neighbourhood is also one of its shyest. The adults, bedecked in a mottled silvery-grey, tend to fade into their surroundings. Their children are strange goggly creatures with saucer-like eyes, and usually well-hidden from passersby. The whole family keeps nocturnal hours. For those who know them, however, visiting at any hour becomes a kind of compulsion.

So it was for my partner and me when we moved to a new house and found tawny frogmouths in a nearby park.

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