'Wembley' Tawny Frogmouth, Ode to a Tawny
'Wembley' Tawny Frogmouth, Ode to a Tawny
Photograph on archival fibre based cotton rag paper
112 x 89 cm, 44 x 35 inch
'Wembley' Tawny Frogmouth, Ode to a Tawny 2016 ©Leila Jeffreys

I adore Tawny Frogmouths. People often think they are an owl but they’re actually a nocturnal bird related to the Nightjar. The way you can tell is you look at their feet. They have dainty feet while owls have big powerful feet for catching prey. When feeling threatened, Tawny Frogmouths have evolved to be world class magicians. They stay perfectly still, close their eyes and take on the shape of a branch; their feathers blend into the tree and… they disappear.