Tag: Grey Nightjar

Grey Nightjar Caprimulgus jotaka jotaka on migration in Jiangsu, China, May. (Craig Brelsford)

Grey Nightjar, Lesser Yangshan Island (30.644125, 122.061244), Zhejiang, China, October. (Craig Brelsford)

Adult male Grey Nightjar on migration at Haiyin Temple (32.560591, 121.039620), Rudong-Yangkou, Jiangsu, September. Male Grey Nightjar has white wing spots, female tawny. (Craig Brelsford)

Grey Nightjar instinctively aligns itself with roof tiles at Haiyin Temple (32.560591, 121.039620), Rudong-Yangkou, Jiangsu, September. In forests, Grey Nightjar perches lengthwise on branches, behavior that combined with its cryptic plumage helps the bird avoid detection. (Craig Brelsford)

Grey Nightjar, ridge (51.548528, 121.880736) above Cow’s Ear River (Niú’ěr Hé [牛耳河]), Hulunbeier, Inner Mongolia, China, elev. 750 m (2,460 ft.), July. (Craig Brelsford)

Grey Nightjar Caprimulgus jotaka is the most common goatsucker in China, with jotaka breeder, passage migrant, or winter resident across eastern China and hazarae southeast Tibet and adjacent Yunnan. Common but overlooked passage migrant Shanghai. HABITAT Breeds in open forest and scrub, usually in hills or mountains; avoids treeless country and closed woodlands. On migration often found in unexpected habitats. BEHAVIOR Roosts on ground, crouching motionlessly, or in a tree on a horizontal branch, almost invariably perching lengthwise; cryptic plumage resembles lichen-covered bark. When disturbed waits until nearly being trodden upon before exploding into flight. Most often seen around dusk, flying erratically, agilely, and silently, catching flying insects. ID & COMPARISON Dark grey and brown, more cold-colored than Large-tailed Nightjar C. macrurus and more irregularly patterned than either Large-tailed or European Nightjar C. europaeus. Grey Nightjar more uniform, with dark markings more evenly distributed and white/buff markings less contrasting. Slightly smaller than and lacks rufous tinge to nuchal collar and cheeks of Large-tailed Nightjar, which also has large white (male) or buff (female) tips to two outer tail feathers. Heavy black streaking on head, nape, and mantle. Breast heavily barred grey-brown and black; belly more sparsely barred, vent least barred. Male has prominent white patches on throat (“headlights”), white subterminal spots to all but the central pair of tail feathers (European Nightjar has white corners formed by white on tips of outer two tail feathers), and prominent white patch at base of outer primaries. In female, throat patches smaller and buff-colored; patches on tail feathers and primaries cinnamon (or missing). BARE PARTS Black bill tiny (but gape huge); eyes brown; feet grey. VOICE Song distinctive, given at night, a hard, knocking chuck-chuck-chuck-chuck, like a car refusing to start. On migration silent. European Nightjar has cricket-like chirring song; Savanna Nightjar C. affinis has piercing chweep song, more slowly delivered; Large-tailed Nightjar has resonant chaunk song, slower than Grey Nightjar. — Craig Brelsford

SOUND-RECORDINGS

Grey Nightjar Caprimulgus jotaka jotaka, singing at dawn, Blue-and-white Flycatcher in background, Boli (45.709510, 130.372510), Heilongjiang, China, elev. 680 m (2,230 ft.), early June, by Craig Brelsford (0:30; 2 MB)

Grey Nightjar C. j. jotaka, two singing at dawn, White’s Thrush singing in background, Boli (45.709510, 130.372510), Heilongjiang, elev. 680 m (2,230 ft.), early June, by Craig Brelsford (1:21; 14 MB)

THE NIGHTJARS OF CHINA

shanghaibirding.com covers all seven members of Caprimulgidae in China. Click any link:

Great Eared Nightjar Lyncornis macrotis
Grey Nightjar Caprimulgus jotaka
European Nightjar C. europaeus
Egyptian Nightjar C. aegyptius
Vaurie’s Nightjar C. centralasicus
Large-tailed Nightjar C. macrurus
Savanna Nightjar C. affinis

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