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NIGHTJARs - Old World

Order Caprimulgiformes  Family Caprimulgidae

The family Caprimulgidae contains the Nightjars.  Their closest relatives are Owlet Nightjars of family Aegothelidae and Frogmouths of Family Podargidae. They are found around the world, hunt in low light, and feed on large flying insects.

See also New World Nightjars.


Genus Caprimulgus

Nightjar,_Abyssinian also  Montane Nightjar  Caprimulgus poliocephalus  Found: Africa
Image by: 1) Dick Daniels - specimen in Nairobi National Museum, Kenya  2) Allan Drewitt  3) Joseph Mochoge - Gilgil, Kenya  4) Nik_Borrow - Ethiopia


Nightjar,_Black-shouldered   Caprimulgus nigriscapularis  Found: Africa
Image by: NIk Borrows - Uganda


Nightjar,_Bonaparte's  Caprimulgus concretus  Found: Brunei, Indonesia, and Malaysia
Image by: 1) Bram Demeulemeester


Nightjar,_Donaldson_Smith's
  Caprimulgus donaldsoni   Found: Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Tanzania
Image by: 1) Nik_Borrow - Ethiopia


Nightjar,_Egyptian  Caprimulgus aegyptius   Found: Asia, Africa
The Egyptian Nightjar has sand-colored plumage barred and streaked with buff and brown; sandy or whitish underparts; long tail. Male has tiny white spots on wings.
Image by: 1) R. H. Porter  2) K K
2) Juvenile


Nightjar,_European Caprimulgus europaeus Found: Europe, Asia
The European Nightjar is gray, barred and streaked with buff, chestnut and black. The underparts are barred. White spots on primaries and white tips to the outer tail feathers are characters of the male; in the young male these are buff. The bill is black, the legs reddish brown.
Image by: 1) Dick Daniels - specimen in Nairobi National Museum, Kenya  2) B. Gliwa   3) Andrze  Lucza    4) Nik Borrows - Belarus


Nightjar,_Fiery-necked  Caprimulgus pectoralis  Found: Africa
Image by: 1) Dave Maguire - South Africa  2) Arno Meintjes  3) Ian White


Nightjar,_Freckled  Caprimulgus tristigma   Found: Africa
Image by: 1) Andrew Smith


Nightjar,_Golden   Caprimulgus eximius  Found: Africa
Image by: 1) John Gerrard Keulemans


Nightjar,_Gray or  Jungle Nightjar  Caprimulgus indicus  Found: Asia
The east Asia and south Asia birds are sometimes identified as separate species: Gray Nightjar (Caprimulgus jotaka) and Jungle Nighthjar (Caprimulgus indicus). It has mostly gray plumage with black streaks on crown.

Image by: 1) Yathin - southern India  2) KoshyK - Arunachal Pradesh, India  3) Jason Thompson - Thailand
1, 2) Jungle Nightjar   3) Gray Nightjar


Nightjar,_Indian  Caprimulgus asiaticus  Found: south Asia
Image by: 1) Vinay Narayana Swamy  2) Thimindu Goonatillake  3) Shaunak Modi


Nightjar,_Large-tailed   Caprimulgus macrurus   Found: Australia, Asia, Malysia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines
image by: 1) Johnny Wee - Singapore 2) Naturelly - Singapore   3) LonelyShrimp - Thailand


Nightjar,_Long-tailed  Caprimulgus climacurus  Found: Africa
Image by: 1) Nik_Borrow - Ghana  2) gisela gerson lohman-braun - Gambia 3) Muchaxo - Gambia
1) Female


Nightjar,_Madagascar  Caprimulgus madagascariensis  Found: Madagascar
Image by: 1) Frank Vassen   2) David Cook


Nightjar,_Plain  Caprimulgus inornatus  Found: Africa
Image by: 1, 2) Nik_Borrow - Sierra Leone


Nightjar,_Red-necked  Caprimulgus ruficollis  Found: Europe, Africa
The Red-necked Nightjar has lichen-gray plumage barred and streaked with buff, chestnut and black; barred underparts; rufous neck collar; white wing spots
Image by: 1) Scops  2) JV Verde  3) Olivenca - Portugal  4) Valter Jacinto - Portugal


Nightjar,_Rufous-checked   Caprimulgus rufigena   Found: Africa
Image by: 1) Andrew Smith  2) Darren - South Africa


Nightjar,_Salvadori's  Caprimulgus pulchellus  Found: Indonesia
Image by: 1, 2) John Mittermeier - West Java, Indondesia


Nightjar,_Savannah Caprimulgus affinis  Found: southeast Asia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines
Image by: 1) Brian Gratwicke  2) Wibowo Djatmiko - Indonesia


Nightjar,_Slender-tailed  Caprimulgus clarus  Found: Africa
Image by: 1) Steve Garvie  - Lake Baringo, Kenya. 2) Nik_Borrow - Ethiopia


Nightjar,_Sombre  Caprimulgus fraenatus  Found: Africa
Image by:  1) Dick Daniels - specimen in Nairobi National Museum, Kenya   2) Joseph Mochoge - Gilgil, Kenya  3) Nik_Borrow  Mark Piazzi - Ethiopia


Nightjar,_Square-tailed  Caprimulgus fossii  Found: Africa
Image by: 1) Nik_Borrow - Uganda  2, 3) Bernard Dupont - South Africa


Nightjar,_Star-spotted  Caprimulgus stellatus  Found: Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, and Sudan
Image by: 1. 2) Nik_Borrow - Ethiopia


Nightjar,_Swamp  Caprimulgus natalensis  Found: Africa
Image by: 1) Henrik Gronvold


Nightjar,_Syke's  Caprimulgus mahrattensis  Found: south Asia
Image by: 1) John Gould  2) Pkspks  3) Koshy Koshy



Genus Eurostopodus
These nightjars are found in Australia, Indonesia, and vicinity.

Nightjar,_Diabolical  also  Satanic Nightjar  Eurostopodus diabolicus Found: Sulawesi of Indonesia
The Diabolical Nightjar has a prominent fore-collar. It is very rare.
Image by: 1) Francesco Veronesi  2) John Mittermeier


Nightjar,_Spotted  Eurostopodus argus  Found: Australia
The Spotted Nightjar has heavily spotted and flecked patterns; brown to blackish bill; dark brown eye; legs, claws.
Similar to: White-throated Nightjar. Spotted Nightjar has richer coloring; White-throated Nightjar has white throat.
Image by: 1, 2, 3) Bill and Mark Bell


Nightjar,_White-throated  Eurostopodus mystacalis  Found: Australia, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea
The White-throated Nightjar has brownish plumage; white throat; small white spots on sides and under-wing coverts.
Similar to: Spotted Nightjar. Spotted Nightjar has richer coloring; White-throated Nightjar has white throat.
Image by: 1) Tom Tarrant - SE Queensland  2) Anne van der Wal



Genus Gactornis - 1 species

Nightjar,_Collared  Gactornis enarratus  Found: Madagascar
Image by: 1) Ross Tsai  2) Kenny Ross



Genus Lyncornis

Nightjar,_Great Eared  Lyncornis macrotis Found: southeast Asia, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines
Image by: 1) Jason Thompson - North Sulawesi



Genus Macrodipteryx also Caprimulgus

Nightjar,_Pennant-winged   Macrodipteryx vexillarius Found: Africa
The male Pennant-winged NIghtjar has a broad white band over otherwise black primaries; long primary feather during breeding season.
Image by: 1) Malcom Gemmell - South Africa 2, 3) Ross Tsai  4) Joseph Wolf
1) Female 3, 4) Male


Nightjar,_Standard-winged Macrodipteryx longipennis Found: Africa
The Standard-winged Nightjar (in a sitting position) has mainly variegated gray plumage with a browner collar; relative short tail; no white on wings or tail. In breeding season the male has a very long primary feather, the first part of which is a bare shart. It is raised in a vertical postion like a "standard" while courting.
Image by: 1) Jan Steffen - Ivory Coast  2) Paul Cools - Gambia  3) Ron Knight






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