Listen to the brown nightjar
Tip: press play to see the sound's live frequency spectrum in blue over the waveform.
About the brown nightjar
The brown nightjar is a bird in the family Caprimulgidae (order Caprimulgiformes). Its conservation status on the IUCN Red List is “least concern”.
What does the brown nightjar sound like?
Most birds have two kinds of vocalisation: songs, which are learned or innate phrases delivered mainly in spring and summer, and calls – brief contact, alarm and begging notes heard all year round. Listening for both helps with identification.
The recordings here are labelled as song. Listen for differences in rhythm, pitch and repetition – the spectrum display makes it easy to see whether a sound is a pure whistle (a thin line), a harsh call (a broad band) or a trill (rapid repeated marks).
From Wikipedia
The brown nightjar (Veles binotatus) is a species of nightjar in the family Caprimulgidae. It is the only species in the genus Veles. It is found in Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Gabon, Ghana, and Liberia.
The brown nightjar is 21–23 cm (8.3–9.1 in) in overall length and has upperparts that are dark brown with dense tawny mottling. Very little is known about the behaviour. Its call, a metallic "kliou" note given at one second intervals, was first described in 1998. Its relationship to other species of nightjar is uncertain as it has not been included in a molecular phylogenetic study.
More from the family Caprimulgidae
European nightjar
Caprimulgus europaeus
Common poorwill
Phalaenoptilus nuttallii
Common nighthawk
Chordeiles minor
Indian nightjar
Caprimulgus asiaticus
Jungle nightjar
Caprimulgus indicus
Savanna nightjar
Caprimulgus affinis
Jerdon's nightjar
Caprimulgus atripennis
Pauraque
Nyctidromus albicollis
Eastern whip-poor-will
Antrostomus vociferus
Fiery-necked nightjar
Caprimulgus pectoralis
Frequently asked questions
What does a brown nightjar sound like?
You can hear 1 recording of the brown nightjar on this page, including its song. Most birds have two kinds of vocalisation: songs, which are learned or innate phrases delivered mainly in spring and summer, and calls – brief contact, alarm and begging notes heard all year round.
Is the brown nightjar endangered?
The IUCN Red List classifies the brown nightjar as “least concern”.
What family does the brown nightjar belong to?
The brown nightjar (Veles binotatus) belongs to the family Caprimulgidae in the order Caprimulgiformes.
Sources & credits
- Song · Cavalla Forest, Grand Gedeh by Ben Phalan – CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
- Wikidata Q1265046 – CC0
- Wikipedia: Brown nightjar – CC BY-SA 4.0
- Photo by Antoine Thivolle – CC BY 4.0