- Caprimulgus batesi
Identification
29–31 cm: Sexually dimorphic.
Large, very dark rainforest Nightjar. Looks large-headed and long tailed. Close views show blackish-brown, chestnut and buff speckling to upperparts. Variable tawny buff collar on the hind nack - sometimes very pronounced and sometimes almost lacking.
In flight males show small white spots on the outer 1/4 of the wing and small white outer corners to the tail, females lack these.
Distribution
Africa:
Western Africa: southern Cameroon, Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, northern Gabon, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo
Eastern Africa: western Uganda
Taxonomy
This is a monotypic species[1].
Habitat
Forest edges in primary and dense secondary forest.
Behaviour
Diet
Their diet includes a variety of insects, such as moths, crickets, grasshoppers, beetles and ants.
Vocalisaion
Call: Very loud " wow wowowowowowow". There is a slight gap/pause after the first note. Delivered from all levels of the canopy.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2014. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: Version 6.9., with updates to August 2014. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Avibase
- Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved February 2015)
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) Bates's Nightjar. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 13 May 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Bates%27s_Nightjar
External Links
GSearch checked for 2020 platform.
