Magnificent night swallow
| Magnificent night swallow | ||||||||||
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Magnificent Swallow ( Caprimulgus eximius ) |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||
| Caprimulgus eximius | ||||||||||
| Temminck , 1826 |
The magnificent night swallow ( Caprimulgus eximius ) is a species of bird from the nightjar family (Caprimulgidae). It settles in an elongated area on the southern edge of the Sahara , which is largely located in the Sahel zone and extends from Mauritania and Senegal eastwards to the east of Sudan . The species is not rare in many places and not threatened worldwide.
description
At 23 to 25 cm, the magnificent night swallow is slightly smaller than the closely related goat milker . One male was found to weigh 66 g. The bill, iris , legs and feet are gray-black. The sexes do not differ.
The upper side including the upper wing is colored yellow-brown in adult animals with grayish-white, rectangular bands that are bordered and speckled with dark brown. In contrast to other species of the genus, there is no neck band. The throat is wide and white, as is the streak of beard . The underside is colored like the upper side, but more dull and increasingly undrawn towards the belly and lower breast. The four outer wings are dark with a wide white field in the middle. The two outer control springs have a white tip.
The downy dress is reddish isabel . Immature specimens are lighter and less marked than adult birds.
voice
Like the goat milker, a persistent "purr" can be heard in this species.
Geographic variation
Two subspecies are recognized, of which C. e. simplicior is lighter and more yellow in color than the nominate form .
- C. e. simplicior E. JO Hartert , 1921 - from southern Mauritania and northern Senegal eastwards to central Chad
- C. e. eximius Temminck , 1826 - southern and central Sudan
Way of life
The magnificent black swallow inhabits semi-deserts that are sparsely covered with grasses and bushes on sandy, gravelly, stony or rocky ground. It can also be found in fallow fields. In the north of Senegal, it also lives in open, tree-lined landscapes with sandy soil. Otherwise wooded habitats and overly dense bushes are avoided. The height distribution extends up to 600 m.
The species is mostly resident. In the west of the area, however, dismigrations can apparently occur after the breeding season . The species was found to be a stray visitor in Morocco and Western Sahara .
The diet consists of insects such as moths , hay and mantis , bugs and beetles . The species can mainly be seen hunting over water at dusk.
The breeding season is between March and May. The clutch consists of two oval eggs, which are spotted with a strong gray, yellow-brown or mauve color on a white-gray to gray-beige background. They are placed on the bare ground, usually near plants or tufts of grass.
literature
- Nigel Cleere : Golden Nightjar (Caprimulgus eximius) (1999), in: J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, AD Christie, E. de Juana (eds.): Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive , Lynx Edicions, Barcelona 2014
Individual evidence
Unless otherwise stated, the information in this article has been taken from the source specified under “Literature”.
- ↑ Golden Nigthjar in Western Sahara , June 2, 2015
Web links
- Caprimulgus eximius in the endangered Red List species the IUCN 2012. Posted by: BirdLife International, 2012. Accessed July 12, 2015.
- Videos, photos and sound recordings of Caprimulgus eximius in the Internet Bird Collection