Common Nightingale
Common NightingaleCommon NightingaleCommon NightingaleCommon Nightingale

Common Nightingale

Luscinia megarhynchos

Silhouette: Stephan Sprinz · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
at Nairobi National Park
39 Verified sightings at Nairobi National Park From 2019 to 2026
8,491 Verified sightings across all 37 parks From 2019 to 2026
March Best month highest sighting rate
🌅 Crepuscular When it's spotted at dawn and dusk

About the Common Nightingale

The common nightingale, rufous nightingale or simply nightingale (Luscinia megarhynchos), is a small passerine bird which is known for its powerful and beautiful song, often described as one of the most beautiful sounds in nature. An Old World flycatcher, it belongs to a group of more terrestrial species, often called chats. Its range partly overlaps with that of the more northerly thrush nightingale (Luscinia luscinia), a closely related species with which hybrids have occurred.

The common nightingale belongs to a distinctive group of Old World flycatchers, known as chats, that were formerly thought to be thrushes. Genetic analysis showed that they were in fact types of flycatcher (Muscicapidae), with the resemblance to thrushes being the result of convergent evolution.

"Nightingale" is derived from "night" and the Old English galan, "to sing". The genus name Luscinia is Latin for "nightingale" and megarhynchos is from Ancient Greek megas, "great" and rhunkhos, "bill". Three subspecies are recognised: Western nightingale (L. m. megarhynchos) – western Europe, North Africa and Asia Minor, wintering in tropical Africa

Caucasian nightingale (L. m. africana) – the Caucasus... Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Nairobi National Park

Thrush Nightingale
LC

Thrush Nightingale

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Luscinia luscinia

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
White-browed Scrub Robin

White-browed Scrub Robin

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Erythropygia leucophrys

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely
African Gray Flycatcher
LC

African Gray Flycatcher

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Bradornis microrhynchus

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely
Rüppell's Robin-Chat
LC

Rüppell's Robin-Chat

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Cossypha semirufa

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely
White-eyed Slaty Flycatcher

White-eyed Slaty Flycatcher

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Dioptrornis fischeri

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
Spotted Morning-Thrush
LC

Spotted Morning-Thrush

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Cichladusa guttata

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
Northern Wheatear
LC

Northern Wheatear

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Oenanthe oenanthe

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Spotted Flycatcher
LC

Spotted Flycatcher

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Muscicapa striata

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Isabelline Wheatear
LC

Isabelline Wheatear

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Oenanthe isabellina

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Southern Black Flycatcher
LC

Southern Black Flycatcher

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Melaenornis pammelaina

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Whinchat
LC

Whinchat

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Saxicola rubetra

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
African Dusky Flycatcher
LC

African Dusky Flycatcher

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Muscicapa adusta

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Fertő-Hanság National Park 🇭🇺 Hungary
~30%
2 Hortobágy National Park 🇭🇺 Hungary
~30%
3 Monfragüe National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
~30%
4 Cévennes National Park 🇫🇷 France
~30%
5 Kiskunság National Park 🇭🇺 Hungary
~20%
6 Doñana National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
~20%
7 Camargue 🇫🇷 France
~20%
8 Sierra de Guadarrama National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
~20%
9 Pyrénées National Park 🇫🇷 France
~10%
10 Sierra Nevada National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
~10%
11 Awash National Park 🇪🇹 Ethiopia
~10%
12 Tsavo West National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
~10%
13 Aigüestortes National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
<5%
14 Lake Manyara National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
15 Bavarian Forest National Park 🇩🇪 Germany
<5%
16 Mkomazi National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
17 Plitvice Lakes National Park 🇭🇷 Croatia
<5%
18 Amboseli National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
19 Mercantour National Park 🇫🇷 France
<5%
20 Nairobi National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
21 Tsavo East National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
22 Wadden Sea National Park 🇩🇪 Germany
<5%
23 Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
<5%
24 Samburu National Reserve 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
25 Tarangire National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
26 Picos de Europa National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
<5%
27 Ngorongoro Conservation Area 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
28 Arusha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
29 Meru National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
Insufficient data
30 Hohe Tauern National Park 🇦🇹 Austria
Insufficient data
31 Tatra National Park 🇸🇰 Slovakia
Insufficient data
32 Lake Nakuru National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
Insufficient data
33 Queen Elizabeth National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
Insufficient data
34 Lake Mburo National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
Insufficient data
35 Biebrza National Park 🇵🇱 Poland
Insufficient data
36 Serengeti National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
Insufficient data
37 Virunga National Park 🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Common Nightingale in Nairobi National Park?

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Common Nightingale sighting in Nairobi National Park, based on 39 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Common Nightingale in Nairobi National Park?

March has the highest sighting rate for Common Nightingale in Nairobi National Park in our monthly data.

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