The tawny frogmouth has been named Australia’s 2025 bird of the year, finally claiming the top spot after finishing as runner-up in the three previous biennial Guardian/BirdLife Australia polls. More than 310,000 votes were cast in the competition, which opened on 6 October, with the tawny frogmouth leading from the start.
In the final round, the tawny frogmouth received 11,851 votes, comfortably ahead of the Baudin’s black cockatoo in second place with 7,688 votes. The gang-gang cockatoo, a red-crested favourite known for its rusty-hinge call, took third place with 6,256 votes, matching its results from 2021 and 2023.
Other finalists included the willie wagtail (4,947 votes) in fourth, the bush stone-curlew (4,370) in fifth, and the laughing kookaburra (4,361) in sixth. The little penguin rounded out the top ten with 3,268 votes. Notably, the 2017 winner, the magpie, failed to make the final ten for the first time.
Tawny frogmouths are found only in Australia and inhabit most areas except dense rainforests and treeless deserts. They are nocturnal, territorial, and mate for life. Often mistaken for owls, they are more closely related to nightjars. Their mottled plumage provides excellent camouflage, making them difficult to spot despite their prevalence, including in urban areas.
Sean Dooley from BirdLife Australia described the public response as “really joyful”, adding that the poll celebrates Australia’s bird life while highlighting conservation concerns. For example, the Baudin’s black cockatoo, found only in south-western Western Australia, faces habitat loss from deforestation. Researchers argue it should be classified as critically endangered, but the state government has not yet reclassified it.
