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Marbled Frogmouth (Podargus ocellatus)

The Marbled Frogmouth is a large, cryptic, nocturnal forest bird found in eastern Australia, including Queensland and New South Wales. It is listed as Vulnerable in both states, and clearing or disturbance of rainforest gullies, creek lines, nest trees and adjacent forest can affect individuals, pairs and breeding sites on development projects.

Conservation status

Queensland, Nature Conservation Act 1992: Vulnerable.

New South Wales, Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016: Vulnerable.

Breeding season

The following calendar is based on the Australian breeding information supplied for the Marbled Frogmouth and the detailed south-east Queensland study of the Plumed Frogmouth. Timing may vary between northern and southern populations and between years.

The species is described as generally sedentary. Survey timing should be adjusted for local records, recent calls, suspected nests and the presence of the southern Plumed Frogmouth subspecies.

  • Breeding and nest building: Australian breeding is reported from August to December. Nest initiation in the south-east Queensland study occurred mainly in mid to late October, with dates from early October to November.
  • Eggs and incubation: Two authentic Marbled Frogmouth nests contained one egg. Incubation of about four weeks is documented in the related Plumed Frogmouth study.
  • Nestlings and dependent young: The Marbled Frogmouth fledging period is reported as at least 31 days. In the Plumed Frogmouth study, young remained associated with the nest area until approximately the end of the nestling period and then roosted high in the canopy.
  • Territorial and nocturnal activity: The species is nocturnal and territorial through the year. Paired birds defend territories with calls and bill-snapping, and there is no evidence in the supplied documents of regular migration.
  • Highest clearing risk: Clearing and noisy disturbance are most likely to harm the species from August to December because breeding, incubation and dependent young occur during this period. October to December is the highest risk period in the detailed south-east Queensland study.

Identification

The Marbled Frogmouth is a stocky, broad-billed nocturnal bird with cryptic plumage. It is difficult to detect by day and is more often located by its calls, nest-site behaviour or night observations.

Adults are about 37 to 48 cm long and weigh about 130 to 286 g. They have a very broad, strong bill with a hooked tip, a large gape, large eyes, rounded wings, short legs and cryptic brown, grey, buff and rufous plumage. The plumage is commonly streaked, marbled, spotted or barred, with pale barring on the flight feathers and a long, jagged tail.

In the southern Plumed Frogmouth, males are generally greyer and females more rufous. The Marbled Frogmouth has long facial plumes over the bill and a pale buff to white eyebrow. These features are useful when assessing a bird at close range or in a spotlight.

The species is normally active from dusk through the night and remains still and camouflaged during the day. It may roost in dense vegetation and has also been reported from tree holes, so absence from exposed daytime branches does not exclude its presence.

Length: 37 to 48 cm

Weight: 130 to 286 g

Activity period: Dusk to dawn

Identification: Similar species

The main field comparison in eastern Australian forests is the Tawny Frogmouth. The Marbled Frogmouth is associated with closed forest and rainforest, has more strongly marbled or barred plumage, prominent facial plumes and a longer, more jagged-looking tail. The Tawny Frogmouth is generally more widespread and is commonly associated with open woodland, scrub, tree groves and plantations.

The Papuan Frogmouth is also present in Queensland, but is larger, reaching about 45 to 60 cm and 256 to 570 g. Identification should use size, habitat, plumage, call and location together rather than a single feature.

Identification: Calls, nests and field signs

The species gives sustained nocturnal territorial calls, including repeated cooing or hooting notes, with aggressive calls and bill-snapping when another frogmouth enters the territory. Call-playback should be used sparingly because pairs may approach aggressively and playback can disturb birds near a nest.

Marbled Frogmouth nests are small structures placed in trees. Documented nests in Cape York were about 3.6 to 4.5 m high, beside or over a creek, on a horizontal or curved dead limb and supported partly by an epiphyte or other plant material. The nests contained one egg. Related observations of the Plumed Frogmouth found nests from 6 to 25 m high, usually in forks of rainforest saplings or trees, with moss, fern and orchid material.

There are no reliable species-specific tracks or scats for routine field identification. At night, eye shine may assist detection, but it is not diagnostic and should not replace call, plumage, habitat and nest assessment.

Documented Marbled Frogmouth nest height: About 3.6 to 4.5 m

Nest contents: One egg in two documented nests

Related Plumed Frogmouth nest heights: 6 to 25 m

  • Search creek gullies, rainforest edges and dense forest at night using quiet listening stations before any spotlighting.
  • Inspect potential nest trees from the ground without climbing or touching the nest.
  • Record calls, direction of approach, perch trees, nest-tree location, watercourse order and surrounding vegetation structure.

Distribution: Australian range

The Marbled Frogmouth occurs in eastern Australia and New Guinea. Australian records and conservation measures in the supplied documents focus on Queensland and New South Wales, with the species associated with rainforest and moist forest habitats.

In Australia, the species occurs in Queensland and New South Wales. The supplied records include Cape York Peninsula in northern Queensland, south-eastern Queensland ranges and moist forest in north-east New South Wales and south-east Queensland.

The southern Plumed Frogmouth is documented from the D'Aguilar Range and Maiala National Park near Brisbane, and from the Conondale Ranges. Northern Marbled Frogmouth nests were documented south-east of Coen and at Iron Range on Cape York Peninsula.

Australian states: Queensland and New South Wales

Documented northern area: Cape York Peninsula, including south-east of Coen and Iron Range

Documented southern areas: D'Aguilar Range, Maiala National Park and Conondale Ranges

Bioregional description supported by the supplied documents: Cape York rainforest and subtropical rainforest or moist forest of south-east Queensland and north-east New South Wales

  • Treat suitable rainforest, moist forest, creek gullies and adjoining forest in Queensland and north-east New South Wales as potential habitat, even where records are absent.
  • Check state fauna databases, local government records and recent survey records before clearing.

Distribution: Strongholds and population information

The supplied documents identify rainforest areas in the D'Aguilar Range, Maiala National Park and the Conondale Ranges as important locations for the southern Plumed Frogmouth. At Maiala, eight pairs were identified across about 4.5 km², giving an estimated density of one pair per approximately 60 ha. Territory estimates were about 20 to 40 ha.

These figures come from a local study of the Plumed Frogmouth subspecies and should not be applied as a national population estimate. The supplied documents do not provide a national population size, population trend, generation length or reliable estimate of the total number of Marbled Frogmouths in Australia.

Maiala study area: About 4.5 km²

Pairs recorded at Maiala: Eight pairs

Approximate pair density at Maiala: One pair per approximately 60 ha

Estimated territories in the study: About 20 to 40 ha

National population size or trend: Not stated in the supplied documents

Habitat: Habitat types

The Marbled Frogmouth is primarily a forest bird, with the strongest evidence for closed subtropical rainforest, moist forest, rainforest gullies and creek-side vegetation. It may also hunt in adjoining eucalyptus forest and along forest tracks.

The species uses forests and is rarely reported from plantations. In south-east Queensland it is associated with subtropical rainforest, including rainforest in gullies and along creek lines. In Logan, the species is described from closed subtropical rainforest, with use of streams, tracks and adjacent eucalyptus forest.

The Dunn's white gum moist forest community in north-east New South Wales and south-east Queensland includes the species among its threatened fauna. A site assessment must confirm the community's diagnostic characteristics rather than relying only on vegetation mapping.

Habitat: Structural features

Important habitat features include continuous or semi-continuous forest cover, rainforest understorey, gullies, first and higher order streams, mature trees with forks suitable for nests, and dense vegetation used for daytime concealment. At Maiala, every recorded territory contained a significant gully in its core area, and territory boundaries were commonly associated with ridges.

The species can use forest adjoining rainforest, especially for nocturnal hunting. Retaining connections between rainforest gullies, creek lines and adjoining forest reduces the risk of isolating territories and breeding sites.

Gully use at Maiala: Every recorded territory contained a significant gully in its core area

Historical stream exclusion widths: 20 m on first order streams; 50 m on second and higher order streams

Historical rainforest exclusion width: 20 m around rainforest

  • Map rainforest, moist forest, gullies, creek lines, mature nest trees and adjoining forest before clearing.
  • Retain riparian and rainforest buffers during design and construction. The historical NSW forestry prescription specified at least 20 m on first order streams, 50 m on second and higher order streams, and at least 20 m around rainforest where a Marbled Frogmouth record occurred.
  • Avoid treating a mapped vegetation unit as proof that the ecological community is present or absent. Confirm the community on site using its description, diagnostics and condition thresholds.

Habitat: Climate and elevation

The supplied documents do not provide a species-specific elevation limit. They support occurrence in tropical and subtropical forest, from Cape York Peninsula to south-east Queensland and north-east New South Wales. Do not infer absence from elevation alone where suitable closed forest and creek-gully habitat remain.

Foraging habitat: Diet and hunting

The Marbled Frogmouth is a nocturnal predator of insects and other active invertebrates. It hunts from perches and uses ground, trunks, tracks, streams and adjoining forest habitats.

Frogmouths mainly eat insects and other active invertebrates caught during short flights from perches. Recorded prey for the family include beetles, moths, orthopterans, stick insects, cicadas, bugs, spiders and millipedes. Larger Australian frogmouths may also take small vertebrates, including frogs and mice, although the supplied sources do not quantify these prey for the Marbled Frogmouth.

The Marbled Frogmouth is described as sallying to catch mainly insects from the ground and tree trunks. The Logan account records hunting along tracks, streams and within adjacent eucalyptus forest.

Main food: Insects and other active invertebrates

Recorded frogmouth prey groups: Beetles, moths, orthopterans, stick insects, cicadas, bugs, spiders and millipedes

Foraging locations: Ground, tree trunks, tracks, streams and adjoining eucalyptus forest

  • Retain mature trees and branches that provide nocturnal hunting perches.
  • Retain forest floor cover, creek-side vegetation and adjoining forest used by flying and ground-active invertebrates.
  • Control artificial lighting near rainforest edges, creek lines and known territories because the species is nocturnal and may be disturbed by night works.

Foraging habitat: Foraging area

The species is territorial, and pairs defend areas with nocturnal calls and bill-snapping. A Maiala study of the Plumed Frogmouth recorded territories of about 20 to 40 ha, with one pair per approximately 60 ha. These figures provide local context only and are not a confirmed range-wide home-range estimate for all Marbled Frogmouth populations.

Local territory estimate: About 20 to 40 ha

Local pair density estimate: One pair per approximately 60 ha

Breeding habitat: Breeding biology

Breeding occurs in forest trees, usually in or near rainforest gullies and creek-side habitat. Nest detection is difficult, so nocturnal calling behaviour and repeated observations near a tree may be more useful than visual searches alone.

The Marbled Frogmouth breeds in Australia from August to December. The species usually lays one egg and occasionally two. Two authentic Marbled Frogmouth nests described from Cape York each contained one egg.

The supplied documents do not give a confirmed species-specific age at first breeding or lifespan. Incubation of about four weeks and a fledging period of at least 31 days are reported for frogmouth breeding studies, but the detailed incubation study involved the closely related Plumed Frogmouth rather than a confirmed Marbled Frogmouth nest.

Breeding season: August to December

Typical clutch: One egg; occasionally two

Incubation: About four weeks in the related Plumed Frogmouth study; not directly measured in the two documented Marbled Frogmouth nests

Fledging or nestling period: At least 31 days, reported for Marbled Frogmouth in the supplied species account

Age at maturity: Not stated in the supplied documents

Lifespan: Not stated in the supplied documents

Breeding habitat: Nest habitat

The two documented Marbled Frogmouth nests were in trees beside or over creeks, at about 3.6 and 4.5 m above ground. One was on a horizontal branch and supported partly by an ant plant. The nests were very small and made from fibre and palm bark or other plant material.

The related Plumed Frogmouth study recorded nests in upright or horizontal forks of rainforest saplings and trees, from 6 to 25 m high, with a mean height of 16.5 m. Four of eight nest sites were reused one to three times in consecutive years. This indicates that mature forked trees and previously used nest trees should be retained where possible.

Documented Marbled Frogmouth nest heights: About 3.6 and 4.5 m

Related Plumed Frogmouth nest heights: 6 to 25 m, mean 16.5 m

Nest-site reuse in the Plumed Frogmouth study: Four of eight sites reused one to three times in consecutive years

  • Complete nocturnal call surveys and targeted nest searches before clearing in suitable forest.
  • Retain known nest trees, nearby mature trees and the surrounding rainforest or creek-gully habitat.
  • Establish a quiet buffer around an active nest and obtain project-specific fauna handling and approval advice before works proceed.

Sheltering habitat: Day roosts

Daytime shelter is provided by cryptic forest cover, dense vegetation and, in some reports, tree holes. Nest trees and high canopy trees may also provide shelter for adults and recently fledged young.

Frogmouths roost during the day and remain quiet and still in trees or bushes. The Marbled Frogmouth is usually associated with thick vegetation, and there are reports of daytime roosting in tree holes. The species may therefore be missed during daytime searches even when present.

After fledging, young Plumed Frogmouths were reported to leave the nest area soon after fledging and roost high in the rainforest canopy. This behaviour supports retention of connected canopy and dense forest around breeding sites.

  • Search dense vegetation, tree holes, canopy forks and shaded creek-gully forest when checking for daytime shelter sites.
  • Do not clear or prune potential roost trees solely because no bird is visible during a daytime inspection.

Sheltering habitat: Site features to retain

Retain mature rainforest trees, forked branches, tree holes, dense understorey, creek-side vegetation and continuous canopy around known records. The supplied sources do not provide a minimum roost-tree diameter, hollow entrance size, roost height or required roost buffer for the Marbled Frogmouth.

Known roost or refuge dimensions: No species-specific minimum dimensions are provided in the supplied documents

  • Treat mature trees with forks, cavities or dense canopy as potential roost and nest habitat until assessed by a suitably qualified person.
  • Avoid night lighting, vibration and noisy works near known roosts, nest trees and occupied gullies.

Threats: Clearing and fragmentation

The main project risks are loss of closed forest, rainforest gullies, creek buffers, nest trees and nocturnal foraging habitat. Disturbance during the August to December breeding period can affect eggs, nestlings and territorial adults.

Clearing for agriculture, urban development, roads and infrastructure removes rainforest, moist forest, creek lines, nest trees and hunting perches. Fragmentation can isolate pairs and reduce access between rainforest gullies and adjoining forest.

The Dunn's white gum moist forest advice identifies the species within a threatened fauna assemblage. On-ground assessment is required because mapped vegetation units do not always match the ecological community.

  • Avoid clearing closed subtropical rainforest, moist forest, gullies and mature forked trees.
  • Use existing cleared corridors where practicable and retain links between creek gullies, rainforest and adjoining forest.
  • Survey all proposed clearing footprints, access tracks, spoil areas and construction compounds, not only the main development area.

Threats: Watercourses and hydrology

The species is associated with rainforest gullies, streams and creek-side nest sites. Sediment, altered drainage, creek realignment, loss of riparian vegetation and changes to wetness can reduce habitat quality and affect prey availability.

The historical NSW prescription required stream and rainforest exclusion zones where a Marbled Frogmouth record occurred. These prescriptions are not a substitute for checking current statutory requirements, project approvals and state guidance.

  • Keep machinery, spoil, fuels and sediment controls out of retained creek and rainforest buffers.
  • Maintain natural drainage and avoid concentrating runoff into occupied gullies or nest areas.
  • Inspect first order and higher order streams before finalising clearing boundaries.

Threats: Fire, weeds, predators and disturbance

The supplied local species account identifies inappropriate fire regimes and weed infestation as threats. General frogmouth information also identifies deforestation as a major source of decline. Predators may affect exposed nests and young, although the supplied breeding study did not establish a population-level predation rate for Marbled Frogmouth.

Night works, spotlighting, call-playback, vibration and repeated access near a nest may disrupt territorial or breeding behaviour. Roads and vehicle movement can also remove habitat and increase direct disturbance, although a species-specific road mortality rate is not provided.

  • Plan vegetation clearing and high-noise works outside the main breeding period where practicable, especially October to December.
  • Keep cats and dogs away from retained habitat and do not encourage predator activity around nest sites.
  • Prevent weed spread into rainforest gullies and creek buffers.
  • Use call-playback only when justified by the survey design and avoid it near suspected nest trees.
  • Apply fauna spotter catcher procedures and stop work if an occupied nest, injured bird or unexpected roost is found.

Survey methodology: 1. Nocturnal call survey and spotlighting

The Marbled Frogmouth is a cryptic, nocturnal forest bird. Survey should focus on nocturnal calls, suitable rainforest and wet forest, stream gullies, nest trees and retained canopy. No species-specific project survey guideline is included in the supplied documents, so the methods below use the available breeding study and general frogmouth ecology.

Survey after dusk when birds are active and territorial. The species is most readily detected by its calls, rather than by daytime searches.

Walk or listen from fixed points through closed subtropical rainforest, wet forest, gullies, creek lines and adjacent eucalyptus forest. Use spotlighting only to confirm a bird after a call or movement is detected, and avoid shining the light directly into its eyes.

Record the time, location, call type, direction of calling, number of birds, habitat, weather and any response to naturally occurring calls. The supplied study used auditory cues because dense rainforest made visual detection difficult.

Activity period: From dusk through the night

Australian breeding period: August to December, with nest initiation commonly in October

Study detection method: Nocturnal observation, call playback and auditory triangulation

Study area and effort: 75 night visits during September to December over six breeding seasons, 1997 to 2002

  • Use call playback sparingly and only where authorised, because the species responds aggressively to territorial intrusion and playback can disturb nesting birds.
  • Do not use playback close to a suspected nest, and stop playback when a bird approaches, becomes agitated or shows territorial defence.
  • Repeat surveys on more than one night where habitat will be cleared, because calling and detection can vary with weather, breeding activity and local conditions.

Survey methodology: 2. Call triangulation and territory mapping

Map all calling locations and apparent flight paths on an aerial photograph or geographic information system layer. Use simultaneous calls from neighbouring birds to distinguish territories where possible.

Search the area around repeatedly used calling trees during daylight, but do not approach closely if a nest is suspected. In the study, triangulation of calls over several visits identified nest trees that were difficult or impossible to see from the ground.

Treat a repeated calling area as potential breeding habitat until follow-up work confirms that no nest or dependent young are present.

Recorded density: About one pair per 60 hectares in the study area

Estimated territory size: About 20 to 40 hectares

Territory feature: Each mapped territory included a significant gully

  • Establish listening points that cover each retained or proposed clearing patch, creek gully and adjoining rainforest edge.
  • Record whether calls come from a gully, slope, ridge or canopy, because study territories were centred on significant gullies and did not generally cross ridge tops.
  • Map an indicative territory around repeated records, noting that the study recorded about one pair per 60 hectares and estimated territories of about 20 to 40 hectares.

Survey methodology: 3. Daytime nest and habitat inspection

Inspect potential nest trees during daylight only after nocturnal observations identify a likely nest location. Searches should cover rainforest saplings and trees, forks, horizontal branches, creek-side trees and trees with suitable epiphytes or other nest supports.

Marbled Frogmouth nests may be very small and exposed. The source describes two nests on Cape York at about 3.6 metres and 4.5 metres above ground, beside or over creeks, with one egg in each nest.

Use binoculars from the ground and avoid climbing or handling nest structures unless the work is undertaken by an appropriately authorised person under the project fauna management plan.

Documented Marbled Frogmouth nest heights: About 3.6 metres and 4.5 metres

Documented nest setting: Small nests on or beside horizontal branches in trees near creeks

Clutch size: Usually one egg; two eggs are recorded as rare

  • Search for an adult sitting upright or flattened along a branch, small fibre or tendril nests, and repeated adult activity at one tree.
  • Treat a suspected nest as active unless competent follow-up confirms otherwise, because adults and nests can be difficult to see in dense vegetation.
  • Record nest-tree species if identifiable, height, branch or fork type, distance to water, surrounding vegetation and whether the tree is within the proposed disturbance footprint.

Survey methodology: 4. Habitat and impact assessment

Survey all closed subtropical rainforest, wet forest, stream gullies and adjoining eucalyptus forest that may be affected by clearing, construction noise, lighting, access tracks, sediment movement or changed drainage.

Identify rainforest trees and saplings with forks, creek-side trees, dense canopy, epiphytes and potential roosting cover. Also record connected forest leading beyond the work area, because the species is sedentary and depends on forest habitat.

Assess indirect impacts as well as the clearing footprint. The supplied local species guide identifies clearing, inappropriate fire regimes and weed infestation as threats.

  • Use the survey results to map retained habitat, likely territories, nest trees, creek lines and movement routes before finalising the clearing boundary.
  • Include night lighting, machinery noise and altered creek or gully conditions in the impact assessment where they could affect nocturnal activity or breeding habitat.
  • Do not treat a state vegetation map unit as proof that the species is absent or present; confirm habitat and records on the ground.

Survey methodology: Minimum effort and reporting

  • Undertake repeated nocturnal surveys across the full potential habitat area, with effort increased during the August to December breeding period and targeted follow-up when calls indicate a territory or nest.
  • Document survey dates, start and finish times, weather, moon or visibility conditions, observers, routes, listening points, playback use, calls, photographs, habitat and all negative results.
  • Have a suitably experienced ecologist assess any suspected nest, dependent young or territory before disturbance proceeds.
  • Submit confirmed records and important negative or breeding records to the relevant state wildlife database, such as the Queensland or New South Wales government biodiversity database, and retain the record reference in the project file.
  • Check current state listing, permit and database requirements before fieldwork because the supplied documents include Queensland and New South Wales protection measures but do not provide current permit conditions.

Before habitat disturbance: Avoid and minimise

Avoid clearing occupied habitat wherever practicable. The main pre-clearance risks are removal of rainforest and wet forest, loss of creek and gully habitat, disturbance of nests, and fragmentation of forest used by territorial pairs.

Retain closed subtropical rainforest, wet forest, significant gullies, creek-side vegetation and connected canopy outside the construction footprint.

Retain trees and saplings with suitable forks, epiphytes, dense canopy and known or suspected nest use, even where the nest is not visible.

Use the smallest practicable clearing footprint and keep access tracks, compounds, lighting and noisy activities away from retained rainforest and stream gullies.

For a recorded Marbled Frogmouth in a New South Wales forestry compartment, apply the supplied stream and rainforest exclusion measures: at least 20 metres from first-order streams, at least 50 metres from second and higher order streams, and at least 20 metres around rainforest.

Maintain these distances as project buffers unless a current approval requires a larger buffer or a competent authority approves another arrangement.

NSW forestry buffer for first-order streams: At least 20 metres

NSW forestry buffer for second and higher order streams: At least 50 metres

NSW forestry buffer around rainforest: At least 20 metres

  • Keep retained forest patches connected through gullies and canopy where practicable.
  • Do not rely on a narrow isolated remnant if a wider retained connection can be achieved.
  • Control weeds before they invade retained rainforest and nest habitat.

Before habitat disturbance: Approvals and timing

The supplied records identify the Marbled Frogmouth as Vulnerable in Queensland and New South Wales, and not listed under the EPBC Act. Confirm the current legal status before works because listings and permit requirements can change.

Obtain the relevant state wildlife permits and approvals before capture, handling, relocation, nest inspection or disturbance. Refer a project under the EPBC Act if the current approved species list or the project impact assessment identifies a nationally listed matter.

Schedule clearing outside the August to December breeding period where practicable. If works must occur during that period, complete targeted nocturnal and nest checks immediately before clearing and use an approved fauna management plan.

Include stop-work criteria, buffers, survey methods, authorised handlers, injury response, relocation sites, lighting controls and reporting requirements in the fauna management plan.

  • Confirm whether the work is in Queensland, New South Wales or another jurisdiction and apply the current jurisdiction-specific rules.
  • Obtain written approval for any proposed disturbance within an active nest buffer or stream and rainforest exclusion area.
  • Brief all contractors on the species, its calls, habitat indicators and the requirement to stop when fauna or an active nest is found.

Before habitat disturbance: Site preparation

Complete a pre-clearance survey of all habitat within and beside the disturbance footprint. Use nocturnal listening and follow-up daytime nest inspection before vegetation is marked.

Mark retained rainforest, creek and gully buffers, known calling locations, nest trees and access limits on plans and on the ground.

Install exclusion fencing where it can protect retained habitat without blocking the species' normal movement between forest patches. Keep fencing outside stream, rainforest and nest buffers.

Confirm that the fauna spotter catcher, ecologist, machinery operators and site supervisor understand the marked limits before vegetation removal starts.

  • Use high-visibility, no-go markers around each retained patch and each active or suspected nest buffer.
  • Remove or relocate construction materials, lighting towers and spoil that would encroach on retained habitat.
  • Provide a nearby retained forest area for any authorised relocation, with canopy, dense cover and a gully or creek setting where available.

During habitat disturbance: Daily controls and machinery coordination

Keep a fauna spotter catcher or other authorised fauna handler present for clearing that could affect occupied habitat. Use staged clearing and stop immediately when a bird, nest or dependent young is detected.

Inspect exclusion fencing, no-go markers, stream buffers and rainforest buffers before work starts each day.

Keep machinery within the approved clearing boundary and direct operators to remove vegetation in small stages towards retained habitat, where the approved fauna management plan allows this.

Use the lowest practicable noise and lighting levels near retained rainforest and gullies, particularly from dusk through the night.

The fauna spotter catcher must have a clear line of communication with each machine operator and the site supervisor, with authority to call an immediate stop.

  • Do not conduct night clearing unless it is specifically approved and the fauna management plan provides controls for nocturnal birds.
  • Do not use call playback during active construction or clearing as a method of moving the bird away.
  • Do not allow workers to enter a suspected nest tree or remove a nest without specific authorisation.

During habitat disturbance: Habitat feature handling

Retain rainforest trees, creek-side vegetation, forks, epiphytes and dense canopy within approved no-go areas.

Do not fell a tree with a suspected Marbled Frogmouth nest until a suitably experienced and authorised person has inspected it and the project ecologist has confirmed the action is lawful and safe.

Where a tree or branch must be removed, inspect it for a sitting adult, egg or nest before cutting and use staged dismantling under the direction of the fauna spotter catcher.

Keep felled vegetation, branches and other natural cover in retained habitat where they do not create a fire or safety hazard. The supplied documents do not identify a species-specific requirement for artificial hollows, rocks, logs or burrows.

  • Prevent sediment, spoil, concrete washout, fuels and weeds from entering creeks, gullies or retained rainforest.
  • Do not burn cleared rainforest or wet forest near retained habitat.
  • Do not alter drainage through a gully or creek without assessing effects on the species' stream-associated habitat.

During habitat disturbance: If a bird, nest or young is found

Stop work in the immediate area and keep people, vehicles and machinery away from the bird, nest tree and likely flight path.

Have only an appropriately authorised and trained fauna handler attempt capture or handling. Do not chase a flying adult or use repeated playback to force movement.

If relocation is approved and necessary, move the bird only to nearby retained forest with suitable canopy and cover, following the permit and fauna management plan.

Send an injured bird promptly to a veterinarian or registered wildlife carer. Keep it dark, quiet and secure, and do not provide food or water unless directed by the receiving professional.

  • Treat an adult repeatedly defending a tree, a nest, an egg or a dependent young as a stop-work trigger.
  • Extend the exclusion area if the bird continues to call, display, return to the tree or fly towards the work area.
  • Resume work only after the fauna spotter catcher, project ecologist and relevant approval holder agree that the risk is controlled.

During habitat disturbance: Records and stop-work triggers

  • Record every detection, including time, coordinates, habitat, behaviour, photographs, action taken, handler name and outcome.
  • Stop work when a Marbled Frogmouth is found within the clearing area, when a suspected nest is located, when a bird is injured, or when clearing moves outside the approved boundary.
  • Record any contact with stream, rainforest or nest buffers and report breaches to the site supervisor and approval holder immediately.
  • Provide the final fauna incident and relocation records to the project ecologist and submit significant confirmed records to the relevant state wildlife database.

After habitat disturbance: Post-clearance checks

Post-clearance work should confirm that no bird, nest or dependent young was missed and that retained habitat remains protected. Monitoring should focus on occupied territories, retained gullies and the edges of cleared areas.

Inspect the cleared area, retained buffers and nearby rainforest during daylight for nests, injured birds, displaced birds and damage to marked habitat.

Repeat nocturnal listening after clearing where a territory was recorded or where works occurred during August to December. Compare calling locations with the pre-clearance map.

Check that stream and rainforest exclusion zones, fencing, lighting controls and access restrictions remain in place after machinery leaves.

  • Investigate any adult calling repeatedly from the disturbed edge or returning to a removed nest tree.
  • Do not remove an inactive-looking nest or dismantle a nest tree without an authorised assessment.
  • Record whether retained canopy, gullies and creek-side vegetation remain connected and undamaged.

After habitat disturbance: Monitoring and reporting

Monitor known territories through the next breeding period where the project removed or substantially modified habitat. Use the same listening points, timing and recording method as the baseline survey so results can be compared.

Report active nests, injured birds, relocations, buffer breaches and unexpected habitat loss to the approval holder and relevant state agency.

Update the project biodiversity register and submit confirmed records to the relevant state database.

Suggested monitoring period supported by the breeding information: The following August to December breeding period

Core monitoring measures: Calls, active nests, nest outcomes and retained habitat condition

  • Use call detections, nest outcomes, habitat condition and weed cover as monitoring measures.
  • Keep monitoring records with maps, photographs, weather, observer names and survey effort.
  • Apply any approval condition for offsets, restoration or additional monitoring if residual impacts remain.

After habitat disturbance: Maintain controls and residual impacts

  • Maintain no-go fencing and buffer markers until construction traffic and restoration activities no longer threaten retained habitat.
  • Control weeds, sediment and altered drainage at the cleared edge and in retained rainforest and gullies.
  • Assess whether the project has removed a nest tree, reduced a territory, isolated retained forest or increased disturbance during the breeding period.
  • Apply approved offsets or additional habitat protection where residual impacts cannot be avoided or restored on site.

Rehabilitation actions: Restore forest structure and connectivity

Rehabilitation should rebuild connected wet forest and subtropical rainforest habitat, especially along gullies and creeks. It should provide mature canopy and suitable nest structures over time, while protecting existing retained forest during establishment.

Replant local native rainforest and wet-forest species suited to the site, using species already present in nearby reference forest where possible.

Prioritise creek lines, gullies, rainforest edges and links between retained forest patches because the species uses closed forest, gully habitat and adjacent eucalyptus forest.

Retain natural regeneration and protect planted seedlings from browsing, trampling, machinery and weed competition.

Do not claim that a planting mix provides nest habitat immediately. The documented nests were associated with tree forks, horizontal branches, fibre or tendril material and, in the broader species account, small platforms in trees.

Documented Marbled Frogmouth habitat: Closed subtropical rainforest, with use of adjacent eucalyptus forest

Documented nest supports: Horizontal branches, forks, tree fibre, palm bark and an ant plant support

Breeding period to consider in restoration works: August to December

  • Use staged revegetation so that existing habitat remains connected while new vegetation establishes.
  • Protect mature retained trees and epiphyte-bearing trees, as replacement plantings will not provide equivalent nest structure in the short term.
  • Design permanent access and lighting to avoid splitting retained and rehabilitated forest.

Rehabilitation actions: Nest structures and habitat features

Retain existing natural forks, horizontal branches, epiphytes and creek-side trees wherever safe. The supplied documents do not provide evidence for a species-specific nest-box design.

Do not install nest boxes as a substitute for retaining mature forest unless a qualified ecologist and the relevant agency approve the design and placement.

Retain suitable fallen branches and natural forest material where they do not create a safety or fire risk, because documented nests use fibre, tendrils, moss, fern or other soft material.

  • Do not remove natural nest material from retained forest during maintenance.
  • Use nest structures only as an approved supplementary measure, with a documented design, location, inspection method and maintenance plan.
  • Avoid placing artificial structures where they increase access by predators or disturb known territories.

Rehabilitation actions: Weed, predator and fire management

Control weeds in rehabilitated and retained rainforest so dense native cover and nest-tree recruitment can develop. Weed infestation is identified as a threat in the supplied local species guide.

Use fire planning that protects closed rainforest, wet gullies and nest trees. The supplied documents identify inappropriate fire regimes as a threat but do not provide a species-specific fire interval.

Manage domestic and feral animals in accordance with the approved site plan, particularly where they could disturb nests or degrade creek and rainforest buffers.

  • Prevent fire from entering retained rainforest and rehabilitated gully vegetation during hazard reduction or construction activities.
  • Inspect rehabilitation after fire, flood, storm damage and weed treatment for loss of canopy or nest supports.
  • Use predator control only under an approved program and by authorised personnel.

Rehabilitation actions: Rehabilitation monitoring and success measures

Species response measure: Repeatable nocturnal call detections and evidence of territory or breeding use

Habitat condition measures: Native regeneration, canopy development, weed cover, gully condition and connectivity

  • Monitor seedling survival, native canopy cover, weed cover, creek and gully condition, retained habitat connectivity and evidence of frogmouth calls or breeding activity.
  • Inspect rehabilitation during daylight for developing forks, canopy cover and natural forest structure, then undertake nocturnal listening during August to December once vegetation is established enough to provide habitat.
  • Set site-specific completion criteria with the project ecologist and regulator, because the supplied documents do not prescribe numerical rehabilitation targets for this species.
  • Continue maintenance until weeds, erosion, access and fire risks are controlled and the rehabilitated area is functioning as connected forest habitat.

Sources