Square-tailed Nightjar
Caprimulgus fossii
Medium-sized, typical nightjar with bold pale spots on the back. Both sexes have a broad pale patch on the outer tail that is white in males and buff in females. Found in a variety of woodland and savanna habitats that are usually moist and often near water. Song is an extraordinarily long, dry trill that changes in speed and pitch. Most similar to Swamp Nightjar, but has smaller pale patches in the outer tail and lacks a blackish cheek; male has a white trailing edge to the wing in flight. Also similar to Montane Nightjar but found in different habitat.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Caprimulgus fossii
- Authority
- Hartlaub, 1857
- Order
- Caprimulgiformes
- Family
- Caprimulgidae
- Genus
- Caprimulgus
Range and habitat
It occurs mainly south of the equator in Africa, but enters the tropics during the northern hemisphere summer. An isolated race occurs in Equatorial Guinea and western Gabon. It is a seasonal visitor to the northern DRC, northern Tanzania, southern Kenya and southern Uganda. It occurs year-round in Angola, Botswana, Burundi, Republic of the Congo, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
- Migration
- Complete migrants
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Stripe-cheeked Woodpecker
Piculus callopterus
This scarce small woodpecker is golden-olive above and barred below. The male has a red crown, a red mustache stripe, and a yellow stripe below the eye. Females are similar but only have red on the nape. Occurs singly or in pairs, usually in the lower to middle levels of foothill forest and edge. Compare with Rufous-winged Woodpecker, which lacks the yellow stripe on the face.
Javan Trogon
Apalharpactes reinwardtii
Beautiful and highly range-restricted trogon found only in Java’s far western belt of volcanoes, where it inhabits montane and foothill forests at 900-2500 meters. Unmistakable, decked out in all the colors of the rainbow: note bright red bill, yellow breast, orange belly, olive-green head and chest, glossy blue-green back, and purple-and-green bare facial skin. Perches quietly in the middle levels of the forest. Sometimes joins mixed feeding flocks, flying noisily with whirring windbeats. Gives a harsh descending trill.
Bahia Wagtail-Tyrant
Stigmatura bahiae
Small, slender, and long-tailed bird found in dry caatinga scrub in eastern Brazil. It has grayish brown upperparts, buffy-yellow underparts and eyebrow, and conspicuous white patches in the wings and tail. Very similar to Greater Wagtail-Tyrant, but slightly smaller and tends to have duller yellow underparts and browner upperparts. Even their voices are similar, with both species giving rollicking series of rattling trills, often as a duet. Bahia Wagtail-Tyrant’s song sounds less dry and buzzy and includes more clear, whistled notes. Recently split from Lesser Wagtail-Tyrant, which is restricted to river islands in the Amazon basin.
Start Your Bird Watching Journey
Identify a bird outdoors and keep the field guide close for your next observation.