Large Frogmouth Batrachostomus auritus Scientific name definitions

39–43 cm; c. 206 g. Largest of the Asian frogmouths, although B. harterti not much smaller. Adult chestnut to light brown above , with pale bars on scapulars and blackish-edged white or buffy-white spots on wing-coverts; underparts rufous-brown, often with some buff to white spots. No obvious sexual dichromatism, although female is said to be often plainer and duller. Juvenile apparently differs from adult in having upperparts mainly grey-brown with fine vermiculation of pale buff, and underparts light grey-brown with rufous tinge, paler on belly.

Scattered localities in S Thailand (Nakhon Si Thammarat), Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, Borneo (including Labuan I) and nearby N Natuna Is.

Lowland rainforest, but recorded from secondary forest as well as undisturbed primary forest; also forest in swamps and on alluvial soils.

Appears to be sedentary.

Diet includes cicadas and grasshoppers. Apparently feeds by sallying to catch insects on the ground or from branches.

Poorly known; song variously described as a loud wheezy call , and as a deep, hollow-sounding tremolo which may be repeated 4–8 times, with each note lasting c. 1 second; also, a repeated rippling “coerrr” or low growling “oow-OP” and very harsh scolds and screeches.

Two nests at Taman Negara, peninsular Malaysia, had eggs in Feb (1 Wright, J. (2009). Observations of a nesting Large Frogmouth Batrachostomus auritus in Taman Negara, Peninsular Malaysia. BirdingASIA. 11: 105. Close , 2 Cheong, T.G. and Li, Y.D. (2010). Observations on the nesting of the Large Frogmouth Batrachostomus auritus in Taman Negara National Park, peninsular Malaysia. BirdingASIA. 14: 37–43. Close ); a nest in Sumatra had a chick in late Jul. Nest#R  is a relatively small platform placed in fork of horizontal branch. Clutch apparently 1 egg. Incubation takes at least 32 days; both sexes incubate; nestling is similar to that of other Batrachostomus frogmouths, entirely covered with fine white down when recently hatched (2 Cheong, T.G. and Li, Y.D. (2010). Observations on the nesting of the Large Frogmouth Batrachostomus auritus in Taman Negara National Park, peninsular Malaysia. BirdingASIA. 14: 37–43. Close ). No further information.

Not globally threatened. Currently considered Near Threatened. Extremely rare in Thailand, where possibly only one definite record exists. Rare in Malaysia, but still recorded in areas of fragmented forest around Kuala Lumpur and nearby parts; recent records in three different parts of Taman Negara National Park. Rather few records from Sumatra, where species might be threatened; however, report from Gunung Leuser National Park in 1988, and new provincial records from Riau (a bird mist-netted in 1991) and Lampung (several records from Way Kambas National Park in 1994 and 1995), suggest that it may be more widespread than previously suspected. Seems to be very uncommon in Borneo, where only local in occurrence; recorded in Gunung Mulu National Park, Sarawak, and in Danum Valley Conservation Area, Sabah. In general, apparently an uncommon or rare bird that is almost certainly declining owing to destruction of its lowland-forest habitat, but it is an elusive and little-known species.