From Opus

Photo by Mark Harper
Varirata National Park, Papua New Guinea, September 2008

Aegotheles bennettii

Includes Salvadori's Owlet Nightjar

[edit] Identification

20-23cm

• Upperparts dark brown to blackish with narrow light lines
• Underparts pale grey to whitish buff with broad bars and spots.

Sexes are similar.

[edit] Distribution

New Guinea and some sourrounding islands.

Photo by Xenospiza
Varirata National Park, Papua New Guinea

[edit] Taxonomy

[edit] Subspecies^[1]

Five subspecies are recognized:

• A. b. affinis:

• Arfak Mountains (north-western New Guinea)

• A. b. wiedenfeldi:

• Northern New Guinea (Idenburg River to Holnicote Bay)

• A. b. terborghi:

• Eastern highlands of Papua New Guinea (Karimui basin region)

• A. b. bennettii:

• Coastal south-eastern New Guinea (Koembe River to Milne Bay)

• A. b. plumiferus:

• D'Entrecasteaux Archipelago (Fergusson and Goodenough)

Aegotheles affinis (Salvadori's Owlet Nightjar) including subspecies terborghi has been proposed for elevation as a full species.

In the past, Wallace's Owlet-Nightjar has also been included in this species.

[edit] Habitat

Moist forests.

[edit] Behaviour

The eggs are white.

[edit] References

1. Clements, JF. 2008. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2008. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019.
2. Answers.com
3. Birdforum thread discussing taxonomy of Nightjars and Frogmouths.

• List of references

[edit] External Links

• View more images of this species on the ABID