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 BellSimilar to: White-throated Nightjar. Spotted Nightjar has richer coloring; White-throated Nightjar has white throat.
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 WalSimilar to: Spotted Nightjar. Spotted Nightjar has richer coloring; White-throated Nightjar has white throat.
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
