Jerdon's Nightjar
Caprimulgus atripennis
The Jerdon's Nightjar (Caprimulgus atripennis) is a rare nightjars and nighthawk found in 2 countries, weighing about 61 g. Jerdon's nightjar is a medium-sized nightjar species native to southern India and Sri Lanka.
About the Jerdon's Nightjar
Jerdon's nightjar is a medium-sized nightjar species native to southern India and Sri Lanka. Formerly considered as a subspecies of the long-tailed nightjar, it is best recognized by its distinctive call which sounds like a wooden plank being beaten periodically with each note ending in a quaver. The common name commemorates Thomas C. Jerdon who described the species.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
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.
What the Jerdon's Nightjar sounds like
Where it lives
When to see it
Best months: January, February, March, April, May, September, October, November, December, with peak activity in February. It is a winter visitor species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Jerdon's Nightjar?
- Like other nightjars, it has a wide gape, long wings, soft downy plumage and nocturnal habits. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Jerdon's Nightjar?
- The Jerdon's Nightjar is a medium sized bird weighing about 61 g.
- Where can you see a Jerdon's Nightjar?
- The Jerdon's Nightjar occurs in 2 countries, including India and Sri Lanka.
- What does a Jerdon's Nightjar sound like?
- You can listen to a field recording of the Jerdon's Nightjar on this page, contributed to xeno-canto under open licences.
- What birds look similar to a Jerdon's Nightjar?
- The Jerdon's Nightjar is most easily confused with the Red-necked Nightjar, the Square-tailed Nightjar and the Jungle Nightjar.
- Is the Jerdon's Nightjar endangered?
- The Jerdon's Nightjar is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Jerdon's Nightjar for real
BeakBrain drills you on photos and calls until you can greet this bird by name in the field. Free to play, on any device.
Play BeakBrainEvery photo and recording on this page is credited to its author under the licence shown. Spotted a problem with this page, or have a better photo? Contribute.