New Caledonian Owlet-nightjar

New Caledonian Owlet-nightjar
New Caledonian Owlet-nightjar
Aegotheles savesi - Illustrated by Joseph Smit, 1881
Conservation status
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Caprimulgiformes
Family: Aegothelidae
Genus: Aegotheles
Species: A. savesi
Binomial name
Aegotheles savesi
(Layard,EL and Layard,ELC, 1881)

The New Caledonian Owlet-nightjar Aegotheles savesi, also known as the Enigmatic Owlet-nightjar, is a large owlet-nightjar (a kind of bird related to swifts and goatsuckers) with vermiculated grey-brown and black plumage. It has a long, slightly rounded tail, short, rounded wings, and long, stout legs. Its voice is unknown but similar birds make churring and whistling sounds. It is much larger than the related Australian Owlet-nightjar.

This bird is endemic to New Caledonia’s Melaleuca savanna and humid forests. Other members of its genus are highly territorial and nest in holes in trees. These birds also forage by sitting on a branch and attacking small animals. It is unknown if these habits apply to the New Caledonian Owlet-nightjar, but this species is larger and has longer legs than the others, so it may be more terrestrial.

The type specimen was collected from a bird that flew into a bedroom in the village of Tonghoué. This large nightjar is known from two specimens taken in 1880 and 1915 and a couple of sightings. The most recent is from the 1998 expedition which saw a large nightjar foraging for insects at dusk in Rivière Ni Valley. This exciting report, plus noises similar to the genus being heard in 1996 and 1998, lead many to believe that this species still survives in small numbers.

External links


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно решить контрольную?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • New Caledonian owlet-nightjar — Naujosios Kaledonijos pelėdinis varliažiotis statusas T sritis zoologija | vardynas atitikmenys: lot. Aegotheles savesi angl. New Caledonian owlet nightjar vok. Schwarzrückenschwalm, m rus. черноспинный совиный лягушкорот, m pranc. égothèle… …   Paukščių pavadinimų žodynas

  • Owlet-nightjar — Owlet nightjars Barred Owlet nightjar Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia …   Wikipedia

  • New Caledonia rain forests — Tree ferns on Isle of Pines The New Caledonia rain forests are a terrestrial ecoregion, located in New Caledonia in the South Pacific. It is a tropical moist broadleaf forest ecoregion, part of the Australasia ecozone. Contents …   Wikipedia

  • List of birds of New Caledonia — This is a list of the bird species recorded in New Caledonia. The avifauna of New Caledonia includes a total of 189 species, of which 23 are endemic, 14 have been introduced by humans, and 48 are rare or accidental. 3 species listed are… …   Wikipedia

  • Biodiversity of New Caledonia — The Biodiversity of New Caledonia is considered to be one of the most important in the world. New Caledonia, a large south Pacific island group about 1,200 km east of Australia, supports high levels of endemism, with many unique plants,… …   Wikipedia

  • Endemic birds of New Caledonia — This article is one of a series providing information about endemism among birds in the World s various zoogeographic zones. For an overview of this subject see Endemism in birds.Patterns of endemismNew Caledonia has a single endemic family, the… …   Wikipedia

  • Sibley-Monroe checklist 6 — The Sibley Monroe checklist was a landmark document in the study of birds. It drew on extensive DNA DNA hybridisation studies to reassess the relationships between modern birds.StrigiformesTytonidae* Tyto tenebricosa Greater Sooty Owl * Tyto… …   Wikipedia

  • List of endangered animal species — This is a list of endangered animal species according to the World Conservation Union (IUCN) Red List. The list includes endangered species of the kingdom Animalia. NOTOC A* Acheilognathus elongatus * Acipenser Endangered * Acrocephalus… …   Wikipedia

  • Aegothélidé — Aegothelidae Aegothélidés …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Égothèle — Aegothelidae Aegothélidés …   Wikipédia en Français

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”