Difference between revisions of "European Nightjar" - BirdForum Opus

Revision as of 18:24, 12 March 2009

Photo by picus
Location: Carmine Bivio, Italy

Alternative name: European Nightjar

Caprimulgus europaeus

Identification

L 26cm
Wingspan 55cm
Male

Plumage is heavily streaked with buff, chestnut and black
Underparts are barred
White spots on primaries and outer tail feathers
Black bill
Legs: reddish brown

Female similar, but lacks the white spots on wings and tail. In the Juvenile these spots are buff

Distribution

Widespread summer visitor to much of the region. Breeds in Ireland (rare) and southern Britain and from Iberia east to the southern Urals and Caspian. In the north reaches south-east Norway and southern parts of Sweden and Finland, and across Russia north to about 62 degrees N. Also breeds south to the Mediterranean and on most larger islands, throughout Turkey and the Caucasus and from Morocco to Tunisia in North-West Africa. Range patchy and discontinuous in much of North-Western Europe and still in decline in many areas.

Begins to leave breeding areas in late July, by early October most have left for sub-Saharan Africa. The spring return movement is mainly April-May, rarely earlier.

Vagrant north to Iceland and Faroes, and west to the Azores, Madeira and Canary Islands.

Taxonomy

Subspecies Several races occur in the Region differing slightly in size, ground colour and amount of white in wings of male. Nominate race occurs over most of Western Palearctic range replaced in southern Europe, Turkey and North Africa by generally smaller and paler meridionalis. Other less differentiated raced races are found in the east of the Region but there is much intergradation and variation occurs within as well as between races.

Habitat

Dry open woodland and woodland edge, usually pine but also birch or oak, heathland and moorland with scattered trees, young forestry plantations and chalk downland. In some areas found on stony steppe country with sparse vegetation.

Behaviour

Nocturnal

Breeding

Ground nesters

Diet

Hawks for moths and other night-flying insects

Vocalisation

<flashmp3>Caprimulgus europaeus (song).mp3</flashmp3>
Listen in an external program

References

Wikipedia

External Links

Search for photos of European Nightjar in the gallery

@@ Line 3: / Line 3: @@
 ;[[:Category:Caprimulgus|Caprimulgus]] europaeus
 ==Identification==
-The plumage of the adult Nightjar is lichen-grey, barred and streaked with buff, chestnut and black. The under parts 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.
+L 26cm<br />
+Wingspan 55cm<br />
+'''Male'''
+*Plumage is heavily streaked with buff, chestnut and black
+*Underparts are barred
+*White spots on primaries and outer tail feathers
+*Black bill
+*Legs: reddish brown
-The variegated plumage resembles that of the Wryneck, its wide gape and long wings are like a swift’s, and its soft downy plumage and nocturnal habits are akin to an owls. The length is 26cm, and the wingspan 55cm.
+'''Female''' similar, but lacks the white spots on wings and tail. In the '''Juvenile''' these spots are buff
-The male may be told from the female by the white spots on his wings and tail, and as he gracefully floats above her, with wings upraised at a sharp angle, he spreads his tail wide to show the white spots. On the ground both birds will swing the tail from side to side when excited. The Nightjar does not hunt with open mouth, as often depicted, but the huge gape opens wide for large crepuscular insects, such as noctuid moths and dor-beetles, which are snapped up with avidity. Crepuscular insects are its food.
 ==Distribution==
-Widespread summer visitor to much of the region. Breeds in Ireland (rare) and southern Britain and from Iberia east to the southern Urals and Caspian. In the north reaches south-east Norway and southern parts of Sweden and Finland, and across Russia north to about 62 degrees N. Also breeds south to the Mediterranean and on most larger islands, throughout Turkey and the Caucasus and from Morocco to Tunisia in North-West Africa. Range patchy and discontinuous in much of North-Western Europe and still in decline in many areas.
+Widespread summer visitor to much of the region. Breeds in [[Ireland]] (rare) and southern [[Britain]] and from Iberia east to the southern Urals and Caspian. In the north reaches south-east [[Norway]] and southern parts of [[Sweden]] and [[Finland]], and across [[Russia]] north to about 62 degrees N. Also breeds south to the Mediterranean and on most larger islands, throughout [[Turkey]] and the Caucasus and from [[Morocco]] to [[Tunisia]] in North-West [[Africa]]. Range patchy and discontinuous in much of North-Western [[Europe]] and still in decline in many areas.
 Begins to leave breeding areas in late July, by early October most have left for sub-Saharan Africa. The spring return movement is mainly April-May, rarely earlier.
-Vagrant north to Iceland and Faroes, and west to the Azores, Madeira and Canary Islands.
+Vagrant north to [[Iceland]] and [[Faroes]], and west to the [[Azores]], [[Madeira]] and [[Canary Islands]].
 ==Taxonomy==
-Subspecies Several races occur in the Region differing slightly in size, ground colour and amount of white in wings of male. Nominate race occurs over most of Western Palearctic range replaced in southern Europe, Turkey and North Africa by generally smaller and paler meridionalis. Other less differentiated raced races are found in the east of the Region but there is much intergradation and variation occurs within as well as between races.
+Subspecies Several races occur in the Region differing slightly in size, ground colour and amount of white in wings of male. Nominate race occurs over most of [[Western Palearctic]] range replaced in southern Europe, Turkey and North Africa by generally smaller and paler meridionalis. Other less differentiated raced races are found in the east of the Region but there is much intergradation and variation occurs within as well as between races.
 ==Habitat==
-Dry open woodland and woodland edge, usually pine but also birch or oak, heathland and moorland with scattered trees, young forestry plantations and chalk downland. In some areas found on stony steppe country with sparse vegetation. Nocturnal
+Dry open woodland and woodland edge, usually pine but also birch or oak, heathland and moorland with scattered trees, young forestry plantations and chalk downland. In some areas found on stony steppe country with sparse vegetation.
 ==Behaviour==
-==Bird Song==
+Nocturnal
+====Breeding====
+Ground nesters
+====Diet====
+Hawks for moths and other night-flying insects
+====Vocalisation====
 <flashmp3>Caprimulgus europaeus (song).mp3</flashmp3><br />
 ''[[Media:Caprimulgus europaeus (song).mp3|Listen in an external program]]''
+==References==
+Wikipedia
 ==External Links==
 {{GSearch|Caprimulgus+europaeus}}
-[[Category:Birds]][[Category:Caprimulgus]]
+[[Category:Birds]][[Category:Caprimulgus]][[Category:Bird Songs]]