Donaldson Smith's Nightjar

Caprimulgus donaldsoni - Engoulevent des épines

Engoulevent des épines
Systematics
  • Order 
    :

    Caprimulgiformes

  • Family
    :

    Caprimulgidés

  • Genus
    :

    Caprimulgus

  • Species
    :

    donaldsoni

Descriptor

Sharpe, 1895

Biometrics
  • Size
    : 19 cm
  • Wingspan
    : -
  • Weight
    : 21 à 36 g
Geographic range

Distribution

Identification

Engoulevent des épines
adult


Donaldson Smith's Nightjar is the smallest of African nightjars. It measures less than 20 cm in length, 18 to 19 cm exactly, with a wingspan of about 40 cm. Its weight is 21 to 36 g, the female being slightly heavier. This is, like all nightjars, a bird that is deceptive in terms of its real size when observed in twilight. Knowing that it is barely heavier than a House Sparrow, for example.
If you are lucky enough to find it perched, you are struck by the chestnut colour that dominates its plumage, especially the sides of the head and coverts. The black and chestnut scapulars, widely bordered with cream, form a very visible clear bar at shoulder level. A wide reddish collar separates the mantle from the nape. The whole is unique in the genus and well characterizes the species which has no equivalent in its distribution area.
Male and female have white to primaries and outer rectrices.

Subspecific information monotypic species

Foreign names

  • Engoulevent des épines,
  • Chotacabras espinero,
  • noitibó-dos-espinheiros,
  • Dornbusch-Nachtschwalbe,
  • Donaldson-lappantyú,
  • Doornstruiknachtzwaluw,
  • Succiacapre di Donaldson Smith,
  • törnnattskärra,
  • Tornnattravn,
  • lelek tŕniar,
  • lelek Donaldsonův,
  • Østafrikansk Natravn,
  • somaliankehrääjä,
  • enganyapastors de les espines,
  • lelek samotny,
  • Дональдсонов козодой,
  • ヒメヨタカ,
  • 德氏夜鹰,
  • 史密斯氏夜鷹,

Voice song and cries

Its song is a long-repeated two-syllable strophe, Tui triou, with the first syllable rising in tone and the second descending. In terms of tonality, it is not unlike that of the Donaldson Smith's Nightjar.

Habitat

The species inhabits semi-arid to arid scrubby areas, from sea level up to 1700m in altitude. It can also be found in wooded wadis.

Behaviour character trait

Usually solitary, but capable of forming groups of several tens of individuals outside the breeding season.

Flight

The flight is known to be fast and erratic, with frequent turns and dives. It hunts low over the ground.

Geographic range

Distribution

Donaldson Smith's Nightjar is endemic to the northeastern African region. Its range extends from South Sudan and the Gulf of Aden in Somalia to the north of Tanzania, all east of the Great Rift Valley.

Threats - protection

IUCN conservation status
Extinct
Threatened
Least
concern
Extinc
in the Wild
Near
threatened
Not
evaluated
EX EW CR EN VU NT LC NE

Donaldson Smith's Nightjar is locally common and considered to be of least concern.

Sources of information

Other sources of interest

QRcode Engoulevent des épinesSpecification sheet created on 28/07/2023 by
Translation by AI Oiseaux.net
published: - Updated: 28-02-2017
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