Barred Owlet-nightjar - BirdForum Opus

Photo by Mark Harper
Varirata National Park, Papua New Guinea, September 2008

Aegotheles bennettii

Includes Salvadori's Owlet nightjar

Identification

20-23cm

• Upperparts dark brown to blackish with narrow light lines
• Underparts pale grey to whitish buff with broad bars and spots.

Sexes are similar.

Distribution

New Guinea and some sourrounding islands.

Photo by Xenospiza
Varirata National Park, Papua New Guinea

Taxonomy

Subspecies^[1]

Five subspecies are recognized:

• A. b. affinis:

• Arfak Mountains (north-western New Guinea)

• A. b. wiedenfeldi:

• Northern New Guinea (Idenburg River to Holnicote Bay)

• A. b. terborghi:

• Eastern highlands of Papua New Guinea (Karimui basin region)

• A. b. bennettii:

• Coastal south-eastern New Guinea (Koembe River to Milne Bay)

• A. b. plumiferus:

• D'Entrecasteaux Archipelago (Fergusson and Goodenough)

Aegotheles affinis (Salvadori's Owlet nightjar) including subspecies terborghi has been proposed for elevation as a full species.

In the past, Wallace's Owlet-nightjar has also been included in this species.

Habitat

Moist forests.

Behaviour

The eggs are white.

References

1. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2015. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2015, with updates to August 2015. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
2. Answers.com
3. Birdforum thread discussing taxonomy of Nightjars and Frogmouths.

• List of references

Recommended Citation

• BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Barred Owlet-nightjar. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 26 April 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Barred_Owlet-nightjar

External Links

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