it's a family!

[miriam_e]

Gosh, they are a family! Mum & Dad and 2 kids (the other parent is not in these pics). How the hell the parents have managed to bring up a couple of chicks here is amazing! There are so many kookaburras and butcher birds here it would have been nerve racking for a bird parent. On the upside though the ground is crawling with food (lovely little skinks, moths, etc.). I've read up on frogmouths and they don't feed on the wing like nightjars do; they feed on the ground. They resemble nightjars, but also resemble owls... it seems they are not either, though probably close relatives to the nightjars.

The name: frogmouth -- they have an incredibly wide mouth rather like a frog's. I've watched these guys yawn and it is amazing. It looks impossible. More and more these critters look like something designed by Jim Henson. These pictures don't show it but the chicks are very, very cute. I can see why the parents love 'em.

Comments

[edeniell.livejournal.com]

Cool!

[sassy-fae.livejournal.com]

I came here via the creature community, I just wanted to say that they look fantastic! If you do ever get a picture of one yawning, I'd love to see it. I think you're right about Jim Henson! they really remind me of the eagle from the Muppet Show.

On a totally unrelated note, I read your earlier post about the big bang, and there's a great Nova program available online called The Elegant Universe, and it's all about string theory, with its own spin on the big bang. You can download some or all of it here (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/elegant/program.html). the whole thing is three hours long, though! It is, however, actual interesting television. :)

[miriam-e.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the pointer to The Elegant Universe. I have a very slow dialup connection now that I've moved out to the country so I don't know how well I'll go at seeing the program, but I'll sure give it a try.

I managed to catch this one of one of the parents giving a rather half-hearted yawn. Unfortunately I'd aimed the camera so that when the unexpected yawn came, the top of the bill went out the top of the frame. :( But it gives you an idea of what it looks like. The chicks appear to stretch their mouths open a good deal further than that... pity I can't find a chick yawn just yet.

[sassy-fae.livejournal.com]

Oh wow! That's a really big mouth :)

birdies

[jenna2.livejournal.com]

hey Mims,
beyond awesome!!!!!!!

jenna

[miriam-e.livejournal.com]

Thanks Jenna. :)
I'll answer your email soon. You and Bunny are very welcome over here. It would be best to ensure you are here when Julie is not though. She will be here in a couple of weeks and I think she'll stay for a couple more weeks. She only comes here for a couple of weeks once or twice a year. She owns the place so she naturally has first dibs on the other bedroom. :)