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Tawny Frogmouth Soars to Victory as Australia's 2025 Bird of the Year
16 Oct
Summary
- Tawny frogmouth wins Australia's 2025 bird of the year poll
- Beats Baudin's black cockatoo and gang-gang cockatoo
- Tawny frogmouths are nocturnal, territorial, and mate for life
On October 16th, 2025, the tawny frogmouth was announced as Australia's bird of the year for 2025. The announcement comes after a closely watched poll conducted by The Guardian and BirdLife Australia, which saw over 310,000 votes cast.
The tawny frogmouth led the charge from the start, despite facing stiff competition from two cockatoo species - the Baudin's black cockatoo and the ever-popular gang-gang cockatoo. In the final round, the tawny frogmouth secured 11,851 votes, comprehensively beating the Baudin's black cockatoo in second place with 7,688 votes.
Tawny frogmouths are known for their unique appearance, with mottled silvery-grey and russet plumage that helps them blend seamlessly into tree bark. These nocturnal, territorial birds also mate for life and nest haphazardly on large horizontal branches.
While the tawny frogmouth's victory may come as a surprise to some, it has been a consistent runner-up in the biennial poll, finishing second in 2019, 2021, and 2023 before finally clinching the top spot this year. The win is a testament to the public's growing appreciation for Australia's diverse and often overlooked bird species.
