Nightjars are medium-sized birds that are active at night and eat insects. They belong to the family Caprimulgidae and the order Caprimulgiformes.
You can find these birds all over the world excluding Antarctica and certain islands such as the Seychelles.
Nightjars have long wings, short legs, and very short bills. They catch insects while in flight, typically at night. During the day, they rest on the ground or perch lengthwise on branches.
Dr. George Sangster and his colleagues, who are leading experts, explained that studying nightjars is challenging because they are secretive, active at night, and have camouflaged feathers.
“Nightjars are among the most difficult bird species to study due to their unobtrusive and nocturnal behavior and cryptic plumage,” said lead author Sangster and his colleagues.
New species found in areas from Pakistan to Australia
The authors focused their research on a group of nightjars known as the Caprimulgus macrurus complex. These birds are found in regions ranging from Pakistan to Australia and include six species that look alike but have distinct calls.
During their fieldwork on Timor and Wetar in the Lesser Sunda Islands, researchers discovered a seventh species within this complex.
New Species of Bird Discovered on Lesser Sunda Islands: A team of scientists from the Swedish Museum of Natural History and elsewhere has described a new species of nightjar living in the tropical forests of Timor and Wetar, Lesser Sunda… nagendra bandi via @hinagendrabandi pic.twitter.com/bz4KGLNjq3
— Nagendra Bandi (@HiNagendraBandi) July 1, 2024
They have identified this new species, which was previously mistaken for the large-tailed nightjar (Caprimulgus macrurus), Sulawesi nightjar (Caprimulgus celebensis), and Philippine nightjar (Caprimulgus manillensis). Nonetheless, it differs from these and all other species in the complex by at least 13 vocal characteristics, according to the researchers.
New bird species is called “Timor nightjar”
The newly named Caprimulgus ritae, also known as the Timor nightjar, is unique to the region and not found elsewhere in the range of the Caprimulgus macrurus complex.
This bird prefers forested habitats and has been observed in a variety of environments, ranging from tall evergreen to deciduous dry forests, mostly in lowland areas below 1,000 meters. There is one record of the bird at an elevation of 1,500 meters.
Researchers said that Caprimulgus ritae is only the fourth bird species known to be native to both Timor and Wetar. Other species include the Timor imperial pigeon (Ducula cineracea), the Wetar ground dove (Pampusana gallicolumba hoedtii), and the iris lorikeet (Saudareos iris).
Researchers observed that six additional bird species found on Timor and Wetar are not found on Alor but can be found on Atauro, Roti, and Semau islands. This distribution pattern of the Timor nightjar is similar to several other bird species.
Furthermore, the genetic similarity between those of Timor and Wetar suggests that the colonization or exchange of bird species between these islands has occurred recently. This indicates a recent connection or migration between the avian populations of Timor and Wetar.