Bird Guide

Jerdon's Nightjar vs Red-necked Nightjar

Jerdon's Nightjar (Caprimulgus atripennis)

Jerdon's Nightjar

Caprimulgus atripennis

Medium61 gForest

Like other nightjars, it has a wide gape, long wings, soft downy plumage and nocturnal habits. At 26 cm in overall length, it is almost a head's length larger than the Indian nightjar (C. asiaticus), and differs from that species in its barred tail, rufous rear neck, and wing bars. The vermiculations on the crown are fine giving it a nearly uniform shade. The collar is blackish. The male has a white patch on each wing. Otherwise, their cryptic plumage is mainly variegated buff and brown, as typical for the dark tropical woodland nightjars.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Sonogram of the Jerdon's Nightjar
Recorded by JAIRAM VIJAYAN · Duet · Kadamberi, Kannur, Kerala, India · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Mike Prince from Bangalore, India · CC BY 2.0
Red-necked Nightjar (Caprimulgus ruficollis)

Red-necked Nightjar

Caprimulgus ruficollis

Medium69 gForest

The variegated plumage resembles the European nightjar. The adult is lichen-grey, barred and streaked with buff, chestnut and black. The underparts are barred. It is larger and longer-tailed than the more widespread species, and has a rufous neck-collar. Both sexes have white wing spots, tail sides and throat. During the day this nightjar lies silent upon the ground, concealed by its plumage; it is difficult to detect, looking like a bit of lichen-covered twig or a fragment of bark. The length is 32 cm, and the wingspan 64 cm. Voice: Its call is a repetitive mechanical kyok-kyok-kyok..., which rises and falls as the bird turns its head from side to side. When it churrs, the bird lies or crouches along a branch or rail, but it will sing from a post. During courtship, and occasionally at other times, it uses a mechanical signal, a sharp cracking sound, caused by clapping the wings together over the back.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Sonogram of the Red-necked Nightjar
Recorded by Tanguy Loïs · Song · Cáceres (near (Campus Universitario)), Cáceres, Extremadura, Spain · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: avocat · CC BY 4.0

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Jerdon's Nightjar and Red-necked Nightjar.