Rufous-cheeked Nightjar

Rufous-cheeked Nightjar

Caprimulgus rufigena

Silhouette: Ferran Sayol · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
at Etosha National Park
141 Verified sightings at Etosha National Park From 2019 to 2026
214 Verified sightings across all 9 parks From 2019 to 2026
December Best month highest sighting rate
🌙 Nocturnal When it's spotted during nighttime hours (6pm–6am)

About the Rufous-cheeked Nightjar

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. Throughout the year it can be found in Southern Africa. It is a nocturnal species that feeds on flying insects, mainly hunting at dusk and the early night. They can hunt at night thanks to their large eyes that are adept at seeing in the dark. They cannot see in complete darkness and most likely cannot see colours either. The rufous-cheeked nightjar forms monogamous pairs and the egg laying period is from September to November. It looks very similar to other African nightjars and they are frequently misidentified during research and studies.

The rufous-cheeked nightjar is in the Caprimulgiformes order which after changes in 2021 solely contains the family Caprimulgidae. Two subspecies are recognised: C. r. damarensis Strickland, 1853 – west Angola, Namibia, Botswana and northwest South Africa

C. r. rufigena Smith, A, 1845 – southwest... Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Etosha National Park

Fiery-necked Nightjar
LC

Fiery-necked Nightjar

🌅 Crepuscular Bird

Caprimulgus pectoralis

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Freckled Nightjar
LC

Freckled Nightjar

🌅 Crepuscular Bird

Caprimulgus tristigma

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Etosha National Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
~10%
2 Hwange National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
<5%
3 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
4 Kruger National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
5 Waterberg Plateau Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
Insufficient data
6 Pilanesberg National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
Insufficient data
7 Moremi Game Reserve 🇧🇼 Botswana
Insufficient data
8 Chobe National Park 🇧🇼 Botswana
Insufficient data
9 Namib-Naukluft National Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Rufous-cheeked Nightjar in Etosha National Park?

About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Rufous-cheeked Nightjar sighting in Etosha National Park, based on 141 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Rufous-cheeked Nightjar in Etosha National Park?

December has the highest sighting rate for Rufous-cheeked Nightjar in Etosha National Park in our monthly data.

← Back to Etosha National Park