Bahian Nighthawk
Nyctiprogne vielliardi
Distinctive chestnut nighthawk, lacking white marks on either the tail or wings, and barred below. Found in caatinga woodland along rivers across a restricted distribution. The song is a double-noted "whuip-purr." In flight, gives a “whip" call.
Identification
Once a plain-tailed nighthawk is fully grown, their plumage is dark with brown, the long upper-wings are black, it has gray and white in its upper parts and breast but the characteristic that distinguishes it from the band-tailed nighthawk is that its tail is black without
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Nyctiprogne vielliardi
- Authority
- (Lencioni-Neto, 1994)
- Order
- Caprimulgiformes
- Family
- Caprimulgidae
- Genus
- Nyctiprogne
Range and habitat
The Plain-tailed Nighthawks are only found in Brazil in only two currently known localities. One runs along the rio São Francisco and immediately adjacent tributaries in Bahia and in the state of Minas Gerais which are in central Brazil.<p>The Plain-tailed nighthawk can be classified as near threatened due to loss of riverine forest and scum which lie within its small range..
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
There is not much information about the Plain-tailed nighthawk because it is a newly identified species but it is known that they are crepuscular (active at dawn and dusk) and nocturnal (active at night) and they sleep on the ground where they can easily camouflage.<p>They have been observed above the river in flocks of up to 20 individuals during dusk hours.<p>A plain-tailed nighthawks diet consists mainly of insects which it finds in swarms. It also can catch a drink a water by swooping down slowly on a surface of water. [1]<p>To attract females, the male Plain-tailed nighthawk sings. He also sings after he has marked his territory in order to protect it from intruders.<p>The Plain-tailed nighthawk does not construct nests but instead it lays its eggs in an unlined depression on the ground. They may lay about one to two eggs, but primarily two, that are a white/creamy color with dark colored spots in order to better camouflage with the ground. The female incubates the eggs during the day while both parents incubate it at night for approximately 19 to 21 days. The male is primarily in charge of protecting the nest from any predators or other intruders. the parents feed the chicks mainly insects until they are able to leave the nest in about 20 to 21 days.
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
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Strikingly patterned male is unmistakable with his jet-black face and breast, white cheek patch, dark rust-brown collar, and bright white spots. Brownish female has a small orange nape patch, pale throat, and dense black-and-white markings all over the body; compare with larger Gray Francolin. Occurs in dry grasslands, agricultural land, and weedy fields. Shier than other francolins; more often heard than seen. Usually solitary or in pairs. Male call is a peculiar, metallic-sounding “keek, keek, kek-ke-kek.” Native to Asia, from Turkey east to far eastern India and northern Myanmar; introduced to Hawaii.
Oriente Warbler
Teretistris fornsi
A noisy flocking species that uses a wide variety of wooded and scrubby habitats. Its combination of blue-gray upperparts, yellow from throat to upper belly, and gray lower belly eliminate all other species in range. The similar Yellow-headed Warbler has a yellow crown and a gray chest. The Prothonotary Warbler has a greenish or yellow crown and a green back. Calls include a relatively high and buzzy “zip” or “zhip” and a rather sharp, but slighty buzzy “tip”; both typically given in a somewhat rapid series. Song is a jumbled combination of these and similar notes.
Forest Raven
Corvus tasmanicus
Australian crows and ravens are challenging to identify; concentrate on call, throat-hackles, behavior, and location. Calls slow and deep. Very heavy bill, with visible throat hackles. Does not flicks wings when calling. Inhabits Tasmania (where the only resident crow/raven) and coastal southeastern Australia, with an isolated subspecies in northern New South Wales, where it should be identified with extreme care.
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