Frogmouths

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Nocturnal insectivorous birds native to Australasia, named for their wide flat bills and camouflaged plumage that resembles tree bark
2. Stout nocturnal birds of Australia and nearby islands, known for huge gaping beaks and cryptic colouring that helps them sit motionless on branches
3. Broad-billed night birds found across Australia and New Guinea that feed on insects and rely on bark-like feathers to stay hidden by day

Etymology: Frogmouths are the plural of "frogmouth", and the word is a plain compound of "frog" and "mouth", named for the bird's astonishingly wide, flat bill. The mouth is the feature that does the naming: opened, it stretches almost from ear to ear, and the bird uses it to scoop up insects in flight and at night. The resemblance to a frog's gape is the whole logic of the name. The birds are only distantly related to frogs or to the owls and nightjars they are sometimes confused with, and they are not members of the owl family. Their name is simply descriptive, built from two ordinary English words, with the mouth shape supplying the image.