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We saw this bird during a night drive on the road to the Luvuhu river, upstream of the bridge at Pafuri.

The freckled nightjar Caprimulgus tristigma occurs in localised populations across South Africa. It roosts on rocks or amongst vegetation and can tolerate surface temperatures of 60 °C! It feeds mainly on beetles and moths and has the largest gape of any nightjar, capable of swallowing 3.5cm-long insects whole. It nests in natural hollows in rocks, often filled with wind blown debris such as rock chips and leaves, where it lays 2 eggs, which are incubated for 18-20 days by both sexes; the female incubates in the daytime, while the male takes the night shift. The chicks are well-camouflaged so that they blend in with the surrounding rock and are cared for by both parents.


Large view

Wow , thank you for sharing this sighting Johan