Bird Album
Swamp Nightjar
Caprimulgus natalensis Smith, A, 1845
78 gWeight
The swamp nightjar or Natal nightjar (Caprimulgus natalensis) is a crepuscular and nocturnal bird in the nightjar family found in Africa.
Busiest months: July · Most records: Uganda, South Africa, Gabon
Where and when it's recorded
Swamp Nightjar has been recorded at 91 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 14 countries and regions.
Records by month Southern Hemisphere
Where it's recorded most
- Lake Mburo NPUganda69 records
- iSimangaliso WP – Eastern ShoresSouth Africa44 records
- Maasai Mara NR – Mara TriangleKenya38 records
More places
- Kidepo Valley NPUganda30 records
- Phinda GR – AirfieldSouth Africa27 records
- Mutinondo WildernessZambia26 records
- Parc de la LekediGabon25 records
- Queen Elizabeth II NP – Kasenyi TrackUganda24 records
- Liuwa Plain NPZambia23 records
- Angama LodgeKenya22 records
Countries and regions with the most records
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 swamp nightjar or Natal nightjar (Caprimulgus natalensis) is a crepuscular and nocturnal bird in the nightjar family found in Africa.
Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia
Questions
How big is the Swamp Nightjar?
The Swamp Nightjar weighs around 78 g.
Where does the Swamp Nightjar live?
Its breeding range: Africa: widespread. It is most often recorded in Uganda, South Africa and Gabon.
When is the best time to see the Swamp Nightjar?
At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in July (Southern Hemisphere).
Is the Swamp Nightjar endangered?
The IUCN Red List classifies the Swamp Nightjar as Least Concern.
What does the Swamp Nightjar eat?
Main food: Insects & other invertebrates.
What family is the Swamp Nightjar in?
It belongs to the family Nightjars (Caprimulgidae), order Caprimulgiformes.
At a glance
- Weight
- 78 g
- Habitat
- Forest
- Diet
- Insects & other invertebrates
- Lifestyle
- Feeds in the air
- Migration
- Resident (barely migrates)
- Conservation
- Least Concern
More measurements
- Wing
- 153 mm
- Tail
- 104 mm
- Bill
- 19 mm
- Tarsus
- 21 mm
Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.
Range
Africa: widespread
Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2
Classification
- Order
- Caprimulgiformes
- Family
- Nightjars Caprimulgidae
- Genus
- Caprimulgus
Other birds in the genus Caprimulgus
Red-necked NightjarCaprimulgus ruficollis
Jungle NightjarCaprimulgus indicus
Grey NightjarCaprimulgus jotaka
Palau NightjarCaprimulgus phalaena
European NightjarCaprimulgus europaeus
Sombre NightjarCaprimulgus fraenatus
Rufous-cheeked NightjarCaprimulgus rufigena
Egyptian NightjarCaprimulgus aegyptius
Sykes's NightjarCaprimulgus mahrattensis
Nubian NightjarCaprimulgus nubicus
Golden NightjarCaprimulgus eximius
Jerdon's NightjarCaprimulgus atripennis
Download illustration
Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by Nik Borrow. ↗
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