![]() The Grey-headed Flying-fox is the largest Australian bat with a head and body length up to 30cm. Grey Headed Flying fox Pteropus poliocephalus Grey-headed Flying Fox © Martin PHOTOTRIP They leave southern Australia in about March to return north. In late September and early October each year the Common Koels arrive in Australia from their northern winter homes to breed. The fledglings beg loudly for food from their foster parents. Adults are rather shy and they are heard much more than seen. The Common Koel is a member of the cuckoo family and is a brood parasite which lays its eggs in the nests of other bird species. The male Common Koel is easily identified by its entirely glossy black plumage and striking red eye. Eastern Koel Eudynamys orientalis Eudynamys orientalis © Aviceda Listen to the call below to discover if you have heard one before. The Southern Boobook is also known as the ‘Mopoke’. The Southern Boobook is nocturnal and birds are often observed perched on an open branch or tree-top. Juvenile Southern Boobooks are almost entirely buff-white below, with conspicuous dark brown facial discs. The bill is grey with a darker tip, and the feet are grey or yellow. It is identified by its dark chocolate-brown and rufous-brown feathers that are streaked and spotted with white. ![]() The Southern Boobook is the smallest and most common owl in Australia. Southern Boobook Ninox novaeseelandiae Southern Boobook ©Paul Balfe Have you heard their call near you? Have a listen below to compare. The call of the Powerful Owl is a deep, double hoot: ‘woo-hoo’. They nest in vertical hollows of large old trees. The Powerful Owl mates for life, which can be over 30 years. Their eyes are yellow, set in a dark grey/brown facial mask. Their feathers are dark grey to dark grey-brown with white barring, and off-white below, They have distinctive dark v-shaped chevrons on their chest. They have a relatively small head and a rounded tail. The Powerful Owl is Australia’s largest owl and nocturnal bird. Powerful Owl Ninox strenua Powerful Owl © Richard Jackson Listen below to see if you have Tawny frogmouths in your backyard. Their call is a low booming “Oom-oom-oom-oom” noise. This gives you the chance to see whole family group. After the chicks hatch, the family can be seen roosting side-by-side. Females typically lay two to three eggs each breeding season between August to December. A breeding pair will usually stays in the same territory for over 10 years. Tawny Frogmouths mate for life and in the wild they can live up to 14 years. Tawny Frogmouths are not owls – they’re more closely related to Nightjars. They get the name frogmouth from their large and wide beak. Stiff bristles surround their beak these ‘whiskers’ may help detect the movement of flying insects. They have stocky heads with big yellow eyes. Their feathers are mottled grey, white and black and the patterns on their feathers help them mimic dead tree branches. ![]() Tawny Frogmouths are a large nocturnal carnivorous birds between 30cm – 55cm long. Tawny Frogmouth Podargus strigoides Close up of a tawny frogmouth © Susan Flashman Other times it is the Scats, Track or Traces that animals leave behind that help us discover who is living in our backyard. ![]() Often it is the Noises in the Night that give us a clue to the nocturnal species that are living in our local area. You don’t see many of the animals that live in your local area because they are nocturnal.
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