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The common name "nightjar", first recorded in 1630, refers to the nocturnal habits of the bird, the second part of the name deriving from the distinctive churring song. [1] Caprimulgus nightjars are found around Afro-Eurasia and Australasia, and like other nightjars they usually nest on the ground. They are mostly active in the late evening and ...
The song is loud, with an impressive range of whistles, trills and gurgles. Its song is particularly noticeable at night because few other birds are singing. This is why its name includes "night" in several languages. Only unpaired males sing regularly at night, and nocturnal song probably serves to attract a mate.
The common nighthawk or bullbat (Chordeiles minor) is a medium-sized [3] [4] crepuscular or nocturnal bird [3] [5] of the Americas within the nightjar (Caprimulgidae) family, whose presence and identity are best revealed by its vocalization.
Bird song is a popular subject in poetry. Famous examples inspired by bird song include the 1177 Persian poem "The Conference of the Birds", in which the birds of the world assemble under the wisest bird, the hoopoe, to decide who is to be their king. [161]
"The hawk is a magnificent bird, soaring up on the warm air currents and rising above to gain a perspective over the whole landscape," he describes. "It delights me every time I see a hawk."
Nightjars are medium-sized nocturnal or crepuscular birds in the family Caprimulgidae / ˌ k æ p r ɪ ˈ m ʌ l dʒ ɪ d iː / and order Caprimulgiformes, characterised by long wings, short legs, and very short bills. They are sometimes called bugeaters, [1] their primary source of food being insects.
The eyes are large, even larger than those of nightjars. As in many species of nocturnal birds, they reflect the light of flashlights. [14] Their eyes, which could be conspicuous to potential predators during the day, have unusual slits in the lids, [15] which allow potoos to sense movement even when their eyes are closed.
The blackcap occasionally mimics the song of other birds, [20] the most frequently copied including the garden warbler and the common nightingale. The main call is a hard tac-tac, like stones knocking together, [17] and other vocalisations include a squeaking sweet alarm, and a low-pitched trill similar to that of a garden warbler. [16]