Rufous-cheeked Nightjar

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 →