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Physical description |
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 Click here for a physical description
White-throated Nightjars are medium-sized nocturnal predators.
Their plumage is
highly cryptic.
They are primarily dark grey-brown, with rufous and grey streaking
and barring. They have small white spots on both sides of the
throat. While perched on the ground, the dark-grey wing tips tend
to stick out conspicuously. The eyes are dark-brown and have the
typical, unusual form of other nightjars. The small, downward-curved
bill is dark-grey.
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Taxonomy, classification |
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See
White-throated Nightjar at Wikipedia  .
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Range, habitat, finding this species |
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Click here for information on habitat
and range
The overall distribution of this species can be assessed based
on sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to
ebird.org
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The global distribution of the White-throated Nightjar is available
HERE
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White-throated Nightjars occur in Australia, eastern Indonesia,
New Guinea and on the Solomon Islands.
Nominate race "mystacalis" breed only
in Australia and migrate to the continent from the North via the
Torres Strait. In Australia they populate only the eastern coastal
fringe and adjacent Great Dividing Range in an up to 300 km wide
area, from the eastern half of Cape York peninsula, QLD, all the
way down to about Melbourne, VIC. Occasionally, they can be found
a bit farther inland, on the western side of the Great Dividing
Range.
White-throated Nightjars have a preference for (mostly dry)
forest and
woodland,
especially areas with lots of litter (leaves, twigs, bark),
which they use for camouflage.
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Sightings |
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Click here for sighting information
We first found at least 3 White-throated Nightjars, race
"mystacalis",
in Deriah Aboriginal Area in February 2014. Their
calls were clearly identified, but no bird was seen at the
time. Previously, we had flushed a nightjar in the same
location, but could not identify the species.
After their winter absence, White-throated Nightjars, race
"mystacalis",
returned to Deriah Aboriginal Area in October 2014, when
they were heard calling from two locations in a densely wooded
gully, close to where they had been found the previous season.
In November one White-throated Nightjar was seen in-flight and
visually identified at the same location, but still no photo
obtained.
In March 2017, late in the season, a White-throated Nightjar, race
"mystacalis",
was heard calling at Dandry Gorge AA, in the southern
Pilliga scrub.
M. Adam-Cross reports having heard White-throated Nightjars, race
"mystacalis",
calling at night during spring and summer in Yarramundi, NSW, for many years.
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Photos
Breeding
Nest
Eggs
Behaviour
Food
Call/s
are welcome.