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RFI: Standard-winged and Pennant-winged Nightjars (1 Viewer)

jurek

jurek

Well-known member
Hello,

A quick question: in what months of the year male Standard-winged and Pennant-winged Nightjars have their ornamental feathers?

Is Standard-winged male easy to see in Ghana?
 
During the breeding season, which according to HBW is (more or less) the first half of the year for Standard-winged and August-November for Pennant-winged.

Mole NP in March looks good for Standard-winged (and pictures show its standards).
 
I saw male Standard-winged Nightjar at Mole in April but only one and other groups there at the same time missed it.

One of the best birds I've ever seen.
 
As others have noted, Mole NP in Ghana is good for Standard-winged, with the abandoned airstrip being one of the traditional spots. They are a dry season breeder, so roughly Jan - Mar should be ideal; I was just there a week ago, a tour group failed to see this species entirely despite intensive search with playback, and I saw only a female/non-breeding male. Nov is just too early in the season.
 
Thanks for the replies so far!
I think males of both carry ornamental feathers only for the part of the breeding season? That is why I am asking.
Also, more information about the timing in Ghana (and elsewhere) would be welcome.
 
jurek said:
Thanks for the replies so far!
I think males of both carry ornamental feathers only for the part of the breeding season? That is why I am asking.
Also, more information about the timing in Ghana (and elsewhere) would be welcome.
Click to expand...
Pennant-winged was very, very nice in northwestern Zambia in September.
 
Pennant-winged were displaying in full regalia in Kruger in mid Nov when we were there. And yes, I'd put it in the top 5 ever birds.
 
Andrew Whitehouse said:
I saw male Standard-winged Nightjar at Mole in April but only one and other groups there at the same time missed it.

One of the best birds I've ever seen.
Click to expand...

I was thinking "well how, it sounds like just any other nightjar if the wings are normal, it must be a really rare local endemic", and then I looked at photos of it!!
 
Silverwolf said:
I was thinking "well how, it sounds like just any other nightjar if the wings are normal, it must be a really rare local endemic", and then I looked at photos of it!!
Click to expand...

One of those birds where even if you've seen loads of pictures, it doesn't prepare you for how extraordinary it looks flying around in front of you.
 
According to some reports they can be seen in Murchison falls national park Uganda. Anyone know if this is true or better still has more precise information .?
 
Standard-winged (complete with standards) were the most common Nightjar in Comoé NP, Côte D'Ivoire when I was there in late Jan-Feb 2016. Absolutely stunning birds. Watching them hawk for insects at dusk over the river goes down as one of my top 5 birding experiences.
 
Pennant-winged are viewable in the Northern part of Kruger, but most lose their "wings" by mid-December.

Completely agree as one of the most amazing birds ever seen.

You need local guides to see the birds as known locations where they display are not accessible for "tourists".

Ian
 
My sightings are as follows:

Standard-winged:
2 in Gambia Jan 1984 and 2 Jan 2005
2 in Cameroon in Feb 1993
7 in Sierra Leone in Feb 2010

Pennant-winged:
3 in Uganda June 2013
7 in Malawi November 2013

I failed to see them in the northern Kruger in February 2011

All sightings of both species included some breeding plumaged males.

If you need actual locations I will have to reference trip note books which might take a little while.

Best wishes

Ian
 
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