Jungle Nightjar

Overview

The jungle nightjar (Caprimulgus indicus) is a species of nightjar native to the Indian subcontinent. It is primarily found on the edges of forests and is typically seen or heard at dusk. Its taxonomy is complex, with previous treatments sometimes including related species like the East Asian grey nightjar as subspecies.

Identification

• Body length is approximately 21–24 cm, with the Sri Lankan population being smaller.
• Mostly grey plumage with black streaks on the crown; lacks a conspicuous wing patch but has rufous wing edges.
• Tail is greyish with well-separated narrow black bars; males have a broken white throat patch, while females have a rufous throat patch and submoustachial streaks.
• Call consists of 'thacoo' or 'chuck' notes resembling a distant engine; song is a slow series of 'FWik-m' notes, sometimes ending in quick whistling 'foo-foo' sounds.

Habitat

This species is found mainly on the edges of forests in the Indian subcontinent. It often frequents hilly grassland or scrub, where it perches on prominent bare posts or rocks. The range includes India and Sri Lanka, though populations in the Himalayan region are sometimes treated as part of a separate species.

Did you know?

The usual call is described as sounding like a distant engine, while the song can end in quick whistling noises similar to air being blown over an open bottle.