Nightjar

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Nightjar bird, any of the approximately 60 to 70 species of birds that comprise the subfamily Caprimulginae (family Caprimulgidae), which is sometimes extended to include nighthawks (subfamily Chordeilinae). The term "nightjar bird" is sometimes used to refer to the entire order Caprimulgiformes.

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Except for New Zealand and a few Oceanian islands, true nightjar birds can be found almost anywhere from temperate to tropical climates. They are grey, brown, or reddish-brown in colour to protect themselves. They eat flying insects that they catch on the wing during the night.

The common nightjar (Caprimulgus europaeus) is one of 35 similar species that comprise the largest genus in the order Caprimulgiformes. It is about 30 cm (that is 12 inches) long as well as has a flat head, a wide mouth fringed with bristles, large eyes, and soft plumage that results in noiseless flight. It breeds in Europe and western Asia and spends the winter in Africa.

What is Caprimulgidae?

Caprimulgidae is a bird family belonging to the order Caprimulgiformes. Birds in this family are commonly referred to as nightjars due to their piercing cries, or goatsuckers due to an ancient superstition that they used their very large mouths to milk goats. They are insectivorous birds that hunt flying insects on the wing at night. During the day, they sleep on the ground or perch on a branch, usually lengthwise. They lay one or two eggs, usually on the ground or on rooftops, rather than in nests. The incubation period lasts about nineteen days.

How to Identify?

The nightjar's cryptic, bark-like plumage allows it to blend in with the undergrowth. Adults have flat heads, a small bill with a large gape, and large eyes. Males have white patches near the tips of their wings and at the tips of their tails.

Gray-brown nightjar found in wooded, open grassy, and scrubby areas; not found in jungles. With a golden patch behind the ear (often not apparent on a resting bird) and pale tan patches on the wings, this bird is elaborately patterned. Males have bright white patches near the wingtips and on the edges of the tail, whereas females have buffy-brown patches. Similarly, the Savanna Nightjar is much more densely patterned and lacks the tan wing spots; Savanna also prefers to roost on the ground, whereas Jungle Nightjar prefers to roost in trees.

Nightjar Sound

The song is completely alien-sounding and one-of-a-kind: a long series of bouncing “pooKIHpooKIHpooKIH” notes, similar to a cartoon laser gun.

About

The nightjar nests on the ground on heathland and in young conifer woods after arriving in April and May from its wintering grounds in Africa. It feeds at night on moths, flies, and beetles. The nightjar is most easily recognised at dusk, when males may be seen exhibiting to females, soaring about them, wing-clapping, and uttering their characteristic 'churring' sounds.

Distribution & Habitat

Nightjars can be found on all continents except Antarctica, as well as some island groups such as Madagascar, Seychelles, New Caledonia, and the Caribbean islands. They are not known to live in the aridest desert environments. Nightjars can live at elevations ranging from sea level to 4,200 m (13,800 ft), and several species are montane specialists. Nightjars can be found in a variety of habitats, ranging from deserts to rainforests, but they are most common in open countries with some vegetation. The New World is home to nighthawks, while Asia and Australia are home to eared nightjars.

A number of species migrate, though the family's secrecy may account for an incomplete understanding of their migratory habits. Species from the far north, such as the European nightjar and the common nighthawk, migrate southward as winter approaches. Geolocators placed on European nightjars in southern England discovered that they spent the winter in the Democratic Republic of the Congo's south. Other species migrate in shorter distances.

Listen Out 

While you might be lucky enough to see a nightjar silhouetted against the sky as it searches for insects at dusk, you are much more likely to hear one. The male has a distinctive 'churring' call that can contain up to 1900 notes per minute!

How People Can Help?

There are many wildlife Trusts working to restore and protect our heathlands by not disturbing breeding birds, promoting good management, clearing encroaching scrub, and implementing beneficial grazing regimes. This work is critical if these habitats are to survive; you can help by becoming a member or volunteer with your local Wildlife Trust. Remember to keep dogs on leashes in areas where ground-nesting birds breed.

Nightjar Folklore

Nightjars have inspired many myths and legends due to their nocturnal habits. The nightjar is known as a 'goatsucker' in many European countries, after its Latin name, because they were thought to feed on goats because they were frequently found in close proximity to livestock.

Statistics

• Length: 26-28cm

• Wingspan: 60cm

• Weight: 83gm

• Average lifespan: 4 years

• Conservation status: In the United Kingdom, it is classified as Amber under the Birds of Conservation Concern 4: the Red List for Birds (2015). Priority Species as defined by the UK Post-2010 Biodiversity Framework.

• When to see: April to September

Savanna Nightjar

Nightbird with excellent camouflage that can be found roosting on gravel riverbeds, open areas in grasslands, rooftops, or roadsides. When roosting, they can be found in small loose flocks. In some parts of its range, it is fairly well adapted to urban life and is commonly found in towns and city edges. It’s the males who have a fairly tiny white patch on their wings near the tip. It is most easily identified by its distinct, high-pitched, burry “chree-ik” song, which is repeated over and over.

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Justification of Red List Category

This species has an extremely large range and thus does not approach the Vulnerable thresholds under the range size criterion. Because the population trend appears to be stable, the species does not approach the Vulnerable thresholds under the population trend criterion (>30 percent decline over ten years or three generations).

The total population has still not been quantified, but it is not believed to be close to the thresholds for ‘Vulnerable’ underneath the overall population criterion (10,000 mature individuals with a population size of less than 100,000). A continuous decline estimated to be greater than 10% in ten years, three generations, or with a specified population structure). As a result of these factors, the species is classified as Least Concern.

Jungle Nightjar

The jungle nightjar (Caprimulgus indicus) is a nightjar species native to the Indian subcontinent. It is mostly found on the outskirts of forests, where it can be seen or heard at dusk. This and the linked nightjars have a complex taxonomy, and several treatments have been used to cover the above and many other Asian nightjars. It was earlier studied as the Indian jungle nightjar or the grey nightjar and it was sometimes examined as a subfamily species of the East Asian grey nightjar (C. jotaka).

Description of Jungle Nightjar

The jungle nightjar measures approximately 21–24 cm in length, with the Sri Lankan population (ssp. kelaarti) being slightly smaller. It is mostly grey with black streaks on the crown and lacks a prominent rufous wing patch. The tail is greyish with narrow black bars that are well separated. The male has a broken white throat patch in the middle. The female has a rufous throat patch and streaks of sub-moustache.

The typical call is a series of thacoo or chuck notes (five every two seconds) reminiscent of a distant engine. The song consists of a slow and regular series of FWik-m notes that are repeated for up to 10 seconds. This occasionally results in quick whistling foo-foo with the quality of sounds produced when air is blown over an open bottle. The call uk-krukroo, which Ornithologists Ali and Ripley attribute to this species in their Handbook, is inaccurate and deserves a place in the Oriental scops owl (Otus sunia).

Appearance, Physical Description and Identification

The jungle nightjar is a small nocturnal bird that grows to be 21 to 25 cm long and weighs 60 to 100 grammes. Males and females have different plumage. The upper parts of the jungle nightjar are grayish-brown with blackish brown streaks. The crown is also streaked with blackish brown. The tail is grey with narrow black bars that are well separated. The male bird has a white broken throat patch, whereas the female has a rufous patch.

Their soft plumage colour and patterns that resemble bark or leaves help them blend in with their surroundings. Their wings are long and their legs are short, and their bills are very short. These nightjars perch along rather than across a branch. They are most active before sunrise, after dusk, and at night. The call of the jungle nightjar is a series of thacoo or chuck sounds.

Ecosystem and Habitat

Temperate and tropical forests, evergreen forests, deciduous forests, mixed bamboo forests, and scrub jungles are all part of the nightjar ecosystem.

Diet and Feeding Habits

These species eat mostly large insects like cicadas, grasshoppers, mantises, beetles, and moths. They can either catch the prey while flying or pick it up on the ground. They feed actively before dawn and after dusk.

Reproduction and Breeding Habits

In India, the breeding season for nightjars lasts from January to June. The breeding season in Sri Lanka lasts from March to July. On the bare patch of ground, they lay two eggs. The eggs are incubated for about 17 days by both parents.

Movement and Migration Patterns

These jungle nightjar species are mostly sedentary and live in their habitat. Juvenile dispersal occurs after breeding. They may move locally for feeding and breeding.

Conservation Status and Concerns

The global population of these jungle nightjars has yet to be determined. The population trend as a whole is thought to be stable. They have a wide range and a large population. These nightjar species do not approach the population trend and population size criterion thresholds. As a result, it is not considered "vulnerable" to extinction. The main threats to the survival of these birds are the loss of woodlands and deforestation.

Taxonomy 

The Indian (nominate) and Sri Lankan populations (ssp. kelaarti) are included in this species, whereas Rasmussen and Anderton separated and elevated jotaka (whose egg colouration and calls differ) to a full species, Grey nightjar (2005). In this study, the populations found along the Himalayas, west from Hazara to Bhutan and south to Bangladesh, are referred to as hazarae, and are treated as a subspecies of Caprimulgus jotaka. Jotaka records have been found in the Andamans and Phuentsholing.

Older treatments of this species include the widely distributed migratory subfamily jotaka (China, Japan) as well as phalaena (Palau Island). Its scientific name translates as "nightjar from India," and it is sometimes confused with C. asiaticus, also known as the Indian nightjar. C. indicus was previously known as the large Indian nightjar to distinguish it.