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ForestScrapeMedium · 61 g
What the Jerdon's Nightjar sounds like
ID tip
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.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
When to see the Jerdon's Nightjar
One bar for each month. Filled bars are the 9 months with records; pale bars are months with none. The wide bar is February, the month with the most records.
Where to see the Jerdon's Nightjar
The map shades 2 countries with regular records. Everything unshaded has no records. Countries are listed below the map.
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.
Easily confused with
Red-necked NightjarCaprimulgus ruficollisThe variegated plumage resembles the European nightjar.
Square-tailed NightjarCaprimulgus fossiiVoice: This bird's call is a prolonged churring, which alternates between a fast and slow pace roughly every second.
Jungle NightjarCaprimulgus indicusThe jungle nightjar is about 21–24 cm long with the Sri Lankan population (ssp. kelaarti) being smaller.
Side by side: Jerdon's Nightjar vs Large-tailed Nightjar · Indian Nightjar vs Jerdon's Nightjar · Band-winged Nightjar vs Jerdon's Nightjar · Jerdon's Nightjar vs Red-necked Nightjar · Jerdon's Nightjar vs Square-tailed Nightjar · Jerdon's Nightjar vs Jungle Nightjar
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