Rufous-cheeked Nightjar (Caprimulgus rufigena)
Illustration redrawn by AI from a real photograph

Rufous-cheeked Nightjar

Caprimulgus rufigena Smith, A, 1845

52 gWeight

The rufous-cheeked nightjar (Caprimulgus rufigena) is a species of nightjar in the family Caprimulgidae.

Busiest months: November · Most records: Namibia, South Africa, Zimbabwe

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Rufous-cheeked Nightjar has been recorded at 62 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 8 countries and regions.

Records by month Southern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Etosha NP – Okaukuejo CampNamibia197 records
  2. Etosha NP – Halali CampNamibia87 records
  3. Benfontein NRSouth Africa36 records
More places
  1. Hobatere – LodgeNamibia34 records
  2. Rietvlei NRSouth Africa33 records
  3. Etosha NP – Namutoni CampNamibia27 records
  4. Pilanesberg NPSouth Africa23 records
  5. Madikwe GRSouth Africa20 records
  6. Hwange NP, Davison's CampZimbabwe15 records
  7. Okonjima Nature ReserveNamibia15 records

Countries and regions with the most records

NamibiaSouth AfricaZimbabweAngolaBotswanaZambiaCongo - KinshasaNigeria

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

The rufous-cheeked nightjar (Caprimulgus rufigena) is a species of nightjar in the family Caprimulgidae. It is an intra-African migrant that breeds in the south of its range. It spends the non-breeding season in eastern Nigeria, Cameroon, southern Chad and Sudan, the Republic of the Congo, the D.R.C. and western Central African Republic.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the Rufous-cheeked Nightjar?

The Rufous-cheeked Nightjar weighs around 52 g.

Where does the Rufous-cheeked Nightjar live?

Its breeding range: Africa: southern. It is most often recorded in Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe.

When is the best time to see the Rufous-cheeked Nightjar?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in November (Southern Hemisphere).

Is the Rufous-cheeked Nightjar endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Rufous-cheeked Nightjar as Least Concern.

What does the Rufous-cheeked Nightjar eat?

Main food: Insects & other invertebrates.

What family is the Rufous-cheeked Nightjar in?

It belongs to the family Nightjars (Caprimulgidae), order Caprimulgiformes.

At a glance

Weight
52 g
Habitat
Woodland
Diet
Insects & other invertebrates
Lifestyle
Feeds in the air
Migration
Migratory
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
160 mm
Tail
114 mm
Bill
18 mm
Tarsus
17 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

Africa: southern

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Family
Nightjars Caprimulgidae
Genus
Caprimulgus

Other birds in the genus Caprimulgus

Red-necked NightjarRed-necked NightjarCaprimulgus ruficollisJungle NightjarJungle NightjarCaprimulgus indicusGrey NightjarGrey NightjarCaprimulgus jotakaPalau NightjarPalau NightjarCaprimulgus phalaenaEuropean NightjarEuropean NightjarCaprimulgus europaeusSombre NightjarSombre NightjarCaprimulgus fraenatusEgyptian NightjarEgyptian NightjarCaprimulgus aegyptiusSykes's NightjarSykes's NightjarCaprimulgus mahrattensisNubian NightjarNubian NightjarCaprimulgus nubicusGolden NightjarGolden NightjarCaprimulgus eximiusJerdon's NightjarJerdon's NightjarCaprimulgus atripennisLarge-tailed NightjarLarge-tailed NightjarCaprimulgus macrurus
Rufous-cheeked Nightjar

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Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by Markus Lilje. ↗

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