| Bates's nightjar | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Clade: | Strisores |
| Order: | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family: | Caprimulgidae |
| Genus: | Caprimulgus |
| Species: | C. batesi |
| Binomial name | |
| Caprimulgus batesi Sharpe, 1906 | |
Bates's nightjar (Caprimulgus batesi) or the forest nightjar, is a bird species of the family Caprimulgidae, native to the Congolian rainforests.
Bates's nightjar is a large, dark nightjar. At rest looks large headed and long tailed. The upperparts and wing coverts are dark brown marked with black and buff streaks and spots, with a normally indistinct buff collar on the hindneck which may be more obvious on some individuals. The underparts are blackish brown with buff speckling on the breast, becoming barred on the belly, the throat is whitish. In flight the male shows a small white spot towards the wingtip and white tips to the two outer tail feathers. The female is paler and lack white spots on the wings or outer tail. [2] They measure 29–31 cm in length and weigh 89–112g. [3]
The song of Bates's nightjar is a loud "whow whowwhowwhowwhow" in which following the first note there is a pause then a repeated series of notes. [2]
Bates's nightjar has a fragmented distribution, one population is found in southern Cameroon, another in western Cameroon, Gabon, southern Central African Republic and western Congo, a third slightly separate in the western Congo, with another in eastern Congo and north-western Democratic Republic of the Congo, a fifth population ranges across the Democratic Republic of the Congo and into eastern Uganda in the Bwamba Forest while the last population is in the central Democratic Republic of the Congo. [2]
Bates's nightjar occurs mainly in lowland primary rainforest where it prefers clearings and forest edges and can be common near water, especially near rivers or flooded forest. It can also be found in secondary forest and plantations close to the edge of primary rainforest. [2]
Like most nightjars, Bates's nightjar is crepuscular and nocturnal. It roosts on the ground, in clearings or on paths, or several metres up perched on a liana. Forages for prey such as mantises, crickets, grasshopper, beetles and moths over and within the forest canopy, over clearings and along the edges of riverine forest. It does not build a nest and the single egg is laid directly onto the bare ground or among the leaf litter, nest site are sometimes on paths or trails. The breeding season is December to January in Gabon and potentially all tear in Democratic Republic of Congo. [2]
The Sykes's nightjar, Sykes' nightjar, Sind nightjar or Sindh nightjar is a nightjar species found in northwestern South Asia. This species has a large range with stable population size and therefore has been listed as “Least Concern” with no prediction of substantial human influence on their habitats in the near future.
The Satanic nightjar, also Heinrich's nightjar, satanic eared-nightjar, Sulawesi eared-nightjar or diabolical nightjar is a mid-sized, spotted, dark brown nightjar endemic to the Indonesian island of Sulawesi. The species was discovered in 1931 by Gerd Heinrich, a German natural historian who collected a single female holotype from Mount Klabat on the Minahasa peninsula of Northern Sulawesi.
The Congo serpent eagle is a species of bird of prey in the family Accipitridae. It is the only member of the monotypic genus Dryotriorchis, although it was formerly placed in Circaetus. This species is distributed across the African tropical rainforest, including upper and lower Guinean forests. This serpent eagle specializes in hunting in these forests’ dark understories. It has two subspecies, the nominate subspecies Dryotriorchis spectabilis spectabilis and Dryotriorchis spectabilis batesi. Though monotypic, it appears to be very closely related to Circaetus. This hawk is a medium-sized bird with distinctive short, rounded wings and a long, rounded tail. It is varying shades of brown on its back and has a slight crest. Its breast is white with variable amounts of a rufous wash and, in the nominate subspecies, is covered in round, blackish spots. The subspecies D. s. batesi only has these dots on its flanks. The Congo serpent eagle closely resembles Cassin's hawk-eagle, and some ornithologists believe that this likeness is a rare example of avian mimicry. It is a very vocal raptor, and often is one of the most heard species in its habitat.
Bates's swift is a species of small swift in the family Apodidae which is found in western Africa.
The Long-tailed Nightjar is one of 98 species of nightjar in the family Caprimulgidae, the "true nightjars". It is a nocturnal, insectivorous bird characterized by its distinctive long tail. It is found throughout mainland Africa in open areas, arid semi-deserts, and savannas, with common sightings alongside roadways.
The Hispaniolan nightjar is a nightjar species endemic to the Caribbean island of Hispaniola, which is shared by the Dominican Republic and Haiti.
The plain nightjar is a species of nightjar in the family Caprimulgidae. It breeds in the southern Sahel, Southern Sudan, the Horn of Africa and the southwestern Arabian Peninsula. It migrates to lower latitudes - including central Congo and northern Tanzania. A rather plain looking nightjar with grey-brown, brown, and rufous morphs. Males have white spots on primaries, large white corners to tail, and no white on the throat. Females have buffy-brown wing spots, and no white on the tail.
The large-tailed nightjar is a species of nightjar known for its distinctive long, broad tail and cryptic plumage that allows it to blend into its surroundings. Found along the southern Himalayan foothills, eastern South Asia, Southeast Asia and northern Australia, its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest, subtropical or tropical mangrove forest, and subtropical or tropical moist montane forest.
The swamp nightjar or Natal nightjar is a crepuscular and nocturnal bird in the nightjar family found in Africa.
The fiery-necked nightjar is a species of nightjar in the family Caprimulgidae, which is found mostly in Africa south of the equator, though it has been spotted in a few countries north of the equator. It is most often found in woodland savannas or other deciduous woodlands. It is usually distinguished by its tawny coloured collar which gives the species its common name. It has a distinctive call that many have rendered as 'good-lord-deliver-us'. The fiery-necked nightjar is an insectivorous species that mostly eats butterflies, moths and other insects. The fiery-necked nightjar breeds after the dry season and typically produce two clutches with two eggs per clutch.
The montane nightjar, mountain nightjar or Abyssinian nightjar, is a species of nightjar in the family Caprimulgidae. It is native to upland regions of Central and Eastern Africa where it is a locally common species.
The rufous-cheeked nightjar is a species of nightjar in the family Caprimulgidae. It is an intra-African migrant that breeds in the south of its range. It spends the non-breeding season in eastern Nigeria, Cameroon, southern Chad and Sudan, the Republic of the Congo, the D.R.C. and western Central African Republic. Throughout the year it can be found in Southern Africa. It is a nocturnal species that feeds on flying insects, mainly hunting at dusk and the early night. They can hunt at night thanks to their large eyes that are adept at seeing in the dark. They cannot see in complete darkness and most likely cannot see colours either. The rufous-cheeked nightjar forms monogamous pairs and the egg laying period is from September to November. It looks very similar to other African nightjars and they are frequently misidentified during research and studies.
The dusky nightjar or dusky whip-poor-will is a species of nightjar in the family Caprimulgidae. It is found in Costa Rica and Panama.
The freckled nightjar or freckled rock nightjar is a species of nightjar in the family Caprimulgidae. It has a wide yet patchy distribution throughout the Afrotropics.
The spotted nightjar or spotted eared-nightjar is a species of nightjar in the family Caprimulgidae. It inhabits much of mainland Australia and has also been found in several Indonesian islands. Its natural habitats are open forests and woodlands, scrub, spinifex and tussock grassland, savannah woodland and mangroves.
The red-chested owlet is a species of owl in the family Strigidae, native to the African tropical rainforest. Its habits and behaviour are poorly known.
The maned owl or the Akun scops owl, is a species of owl in the family Strigidae that is endemic to Africa. It is the only species in genus Jubula.
Bates's sunbird is a species of sunbird in the family Nectariniidae which occurs in Western African forests and Central African rainforests, and locally in other types of forest in Central Africa.
The yellow-crested woodpecker, also known as the golden-crowned woodpecker, is a species of bird in the family Picidae. Some taxonomic authorities place this species in Dendropicos. Its typical habitat is wet tropical forest and it is found in Angola, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Kenya, Nigeria, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda.
Bates's paradise flycatcher is a passerine bird belonging to the monarch-flycatcher family, Monarchidae. The sexes are similar in appearance with the upper parts being rufous and the head and underparts being bluish-grey. It is native to central Africa where it is found in the understorey of forests.
