Australian Owlet-nightjar

Overview

The Australian owlet-nightjar (Aegotheles cristatus) is a nocturnal bird found in open woodland across Australia and southern New Guinea. It is the smallest nocturnal bird in Australia and the most common, colloquially known as the moth owl or fairy owl.

Identification

• 21–25 cm long, with grey upperparts, a white barred front, and distinct dark and pale head patterning.
• Large, dark, non-reflective eyes and rictal bristles used for locating prey.
• In northern Australia, females may exhibit a rufous morph, which is absent in coastal south-eastern Australia.
• Calls are described as "churr, cry, yuk, cho-ok, hiss, screech and other short harsh rattling notes".

Habitat

Widespread across Australia and southern New Guinea, inhabiting open woodlands, mallee scrub, tropical woodlands, savannahs, and occasionally mangroves, grasslands, or rainforests. It is a hollow-dependent species that utilises tree cavities for roosting and nesting, and is found in suburban and urban-fringe environments as well as near waterways.

Diet

A sally-type forager that hunts almost exclusively at night, diving from perches to snatch insects from the air, ground, or branches. Its diet consists mainly of insects, particularly beetles, grasshoppers, and ants.

Did you know?

This species frequently enters torpor, a state of reduced metabolism and body temperature, which occurs daily during winter and can happen at temperatures as high as 14.5 °C. To combat cold, the birds increase feather insulation and select sun-warmed roosts during the day.