Tawny Frogmouths

[img]http://ahsroth.com/watbrtaw/15%20(2).jpg[/img]

I wanted to share the story of these special little guys, because they were a truly wonderful experience for me.

I got a call late last Sunday afternoon from my wildlife group's phone line, begging me to go pick up a tawny frogmouth that had been found on someone's steps. Nobody else was available and the resident had already had the bird for nearly 24 hours - it hadn't eaten or drunk at all in that time. I was at my grandmother's at the time, having a Sunday roast. I hurried to finish my meal but no more than 20 minutes later I got another call. Could I pick up another tawny in the same suburb? It had been on the ground in someone's yard all day, and they couldn't find any parents.

I rushed off to get them. I picked up the second call first - it was closer. No problemo. The first caller was a different story. No one answered the door of the house and after calling the resident, it was another ten minutes before he drove home. He told me his roommate thought she had stood on the bird, it had been on their steps and it was dark. Why they didn't take the poor thing to the vet, I've no idea. He gave me the bird in a beer carton and told me it's name was Hubert.

Hubert

I got them home and had a closer look. Both were physically fine, thankfully. Hubert tried to bite me and proceeded to follow me with those giant eyes until I was feeling decidedly creeped out. The second bird, by now named Frankie, hopped out of the carrier and wandered across the floor before settling down. With his eyes and beak closed, he looked like a scruffy pom pom.

Frankie

Feeding was a challenge - Hubert lunged at me every time I went near and it took a couple of tries before I was game enough to keep my fingers near his beak. Frankie had to have his beak forced open, and still refused to swallow.

The next afternoon, I made a trip to the vet to pick up a pigeon. When I arrived, the vet asked how many birds I could take. I asked what they had, and 10 minutes later was on my way home with a pigeon and yet another juvenile frogmouth - Marshall.

Marshall

Marshall was an easy bird. He would open his beak when you tapped on it, and when he'd eaten enough, he'd close it. He could also fly - and it is incredibly how quietly they can fly. He was so silent, no one else in the house even noticed he'd moved until I pointed it out.

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Hubert perching, Marshall and Frankie below

The next night, Frankie took a turn for the worse. I'd been having difficulty feeding him - he wanted nothing to do with food, and he appeared to be having trouble toileting - his rear was covered in muck. I'd called the vet for advice and was told to wait until morning. I checked them at 3 am, and he was still sitting up. By 6 am, he was gone.

Back down to two we settled into a nice routine. Hubert stopped trying to eat my fingers and Marshall continued to be a feathery angel. They did, however, need somewhere they could fly. Being let out in my living room really wasn't doing the trick. Tawnies are lazy birds at the best of times, even more so when meals are delivered, but they need the space to fly if they wish to. Lucky for me, another carer had four juvenile tawnies of her own in a large aviary and was happy to take my little lads. They are now hanging out with all their new buddies, awaiting the day they are big enough to be released.

Anyway, sorry for the looooong post, but these guys were very special for me - a truly unique opportunity to meet a very unusual bird.