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This bird is a member of the nightjar family and as like all of its other brothers and cousins we have here in SA it is very hard to ID this species from its cousins and brothers The Key ID factor of this family is to look at the tail and wing feather patterns, this will generally give a lead as to what the bird is. One of the easiest ID points for this bird is its call. Resembling the words "Good lord deliver us" this bird produces one of the most familiar sounds of the bush.

Taken from Roberts Bird guide-


Feiry Necked Nightjar (Caprimulgus pectoralis)

Sexes- Alike. Cryptic, with few distinctive features apart from broad rufous collaron hindneck. M- Wing and tail spots white. F- Less white on tail feathers. Juv- Wing and tail spots buffish.

Status- Common with resident and partial migrant populations.

Habitat- Favours well developed savana woodland.

Food- mainly nocturnal flying insects.

Call- very characteristic and distinctive "good lord deliver us" also a rapid wook, wook, wook....notes.

Breading- Monogamous. Eggs laid on ground, usually among leaf litter.

One of my best birds...hear them at night on the Table Mountain road...seem to be good numbers there, especially around the cleared plantation areas. Also good numbers of these birds in the WCNP.

This is my favourite bird and yet i still dont have it on my life list

But it is such a lovely bird!

ID is soo difficult...so BATMAD what I suggest is go to an area like the Cape where they are just about the only nightjar species present and you will have an easier time idiing it compared to say when in the KNP!

O-dog- in winterit is fairly easier to ID them as 3 of our nightjar species have migrated

....or just wait for winter then!
ps: its a good excuse to go to the Cape in Summer then!

BM, to wet you appetite!



Seen on the H41

Imax: Lekker pic with flash and no red-eye! Did you go on a nightdrive or what time of day did you take it?

Lizet, we were on a night drive and luckily the nightjar sat quite close to the vehicle. I mounted an additional flash on the camera to flash over the lens and thus no lens shadow is made. I took it with a 200mm lens at ISO 1600 and then later increased the exposure slightly on the computer.

Imax, thanks nicely done!

Imax- How did you ID this bird?

With difficulty - there were two in the area Freckled and Fiery-necked so at least on call we could narrow down. Then this was one of many photos taken at the spot (3 cameras and probably 50 photos) and it took 4 birders most of the night to work through them. We managed to id both, but I only had one really worth while photo for keeping, being this one. We also on the same drive got European, but that was an easier ID as it was perched in the usual manner along the branch.

Thanks Imax