Red-necked Nightjar
Caprimulgus ruficollis
Resembles Eurasian Nightjar, but larger with a rufous collar and upper breast and lacks the dark “forearms” seen on Eurasian Nightjar. Note the prominent pale tips on the wing coverts. Most active at dusk when hawks for flying insects. Voice is a distinctive repetitive “tuok-tuok-tuok” rising and falling in volume. Haunts sparsely to moderately vegetated open areas such as rocky hillsides, pinewoods, and semidesert in the breeding season and winters in similar habitats in West Africa.
Identification
The variegated plumage resembles the European nightjar. The adult is lichen-grey, barred and streaked with buff, chestnut and black. The underparts are barred. It is larger and longer-tailed than the more widespread species, and has a rufous neck-collar. Both sexes have white wing spots, tail sides and throat. During the day this nightjar lies silent upon the ground, concealed by its plumage; it is difficult to detect, looking like a bit of lichen-covered twig or a fragment of bark. The length is 32 cm, and the wingspan 64 cm. Like other nightjars, it has a wide gape, long wings, soft downy plumage and nocturnal habits.<p>Its call is a repetitive mechanical kyok-kyok-kyok..., which rises and falls as the bird turns its head from side to side. When it churrs, the bird lies or crouches along a branch or rail, but it will sing from a post. During courtship, and occasionally at other times, it uses a mechanical signal, a sharp cracking sound, caused by clapping the wings together over the back.
Taxonomy
Caprimulgus is derived from the Latin capra, "nanny goat", and mulgere, "to milk", referring to an old myth that nightjars suck milk from goats. The specific ruficollis is from Latin rufus, "red", and collum, "neck".<p>The common name "nightjar", first recorded in 1630, refers to the nocturnal habits of the bird, the second part of the name deriving from the distinctive churring song.<p>There are two subspecies: nominate ruficollis, breeding in Iberia, and desertorum breeding in North Africa. The North African form desertorum is paler than the Iberian one, and has different patterning on the base of its primary feathers: dark and orange bands of approximately equal width, compared to the narrower orange bands and greater extent of black of ruficollis.
- Scientific name
- Caprimulgus ruficollis
- Authority
- Temminck, 1820
- Order
- Caprimulgiformes
- Family
- Caprimulgidae
- Genus
- Caprimulgus
Range and habitat
Open sandy heaths with trees or bushes are the haunts of this crepuscular nightjar. It flies at dusk, most often at sundown, with an easy, silent moth-like flight; its strong and deliberate wingbeats alternate with graceful sweeps and wheels with motionless wings. Crepuscular insects, such as moths, are its food.
- Breeding range
- PAL, AF : Iberian Pen. to nw AF
- Non-breeding range
- w AF
- Migration
- Complete migrants
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Echo Parakeet
Psittacula eques
Fairly large, long-tailed bright green parakeet of the island of Mauritius. Males have a red bill, a black chin, and a pink-and-black collar. Females are duller, with a black bill. Endangered; found locally in and around remnant patches of humid forest. The call is a honking, nasal “kraa” that is usually repeated in quick sequence, lower-pitched than the typical high-pitched shrieks of Rose-ringed Parakeet. Very similar in appearance to that species, but separated by vocalizations, richer green overall plumage, and shorter and broader wings; females are easily separated by their black rather than red bills.
Slaty-backed Forest-Falcon
Micrastur mirandollei
Forest-falcons are well-named raptors; they are found almost exclusively inside the forest. They are generally slender and long-tailed, with long legs. Slaty-backed is clean-looking, smooth gray above and white below. Juveniles have a scaly pattern on breast. Similar to several other raptors, including Bicolored Hawk; note more extensive yellow skin around eye. As with all forest-falcons, more often heard than seen, and more easily identified by voice. Sings from the canopy, mostly at dawn and dusk. Listen for series of mournful “aww” notes, similar in tone to Collared Forest-Falcon (but Collared typically gives single notes).
Slender-billed Kite
Helicolestes hamatus
Medium-sized, dark raptor with distinctive shape. Adult plumage is entirely slate gray with red legs; immature similar but shows some pale barring on underparts and tail. Note contrasting yellow eye and exceptionally long, decurved bill; in flight, shows very short tail, broad wings, and lack of any white in plumage. Inhabits swampy forests, where it perches quietly at lower and middle levels, preying on snails. Soars frequently but seldom high or for very long (note distinctive flight profile). Call is an explosive single note, falling in pitch and with complaining quality, much like call of Roadside Hawk but more nasal. Most similar to Snail Kite but has yellow (not red) eye, shorter tail with no white, and is generally found in and over closed-canopy forest habitats that Snail Kite avoids.
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