Nightjar?

[Nick D]

Hi,
this is probably going to sound a bit vauge - and apologies for that...

I am trying to identify a bird that I am experiencing most evenings after dusk and into the night. I am located in NE England (Darlington) in semi rural area, lost of open farmland.

I have looked in numerous books and have narrowed it down to a nightjar..

I have not had a close view as it is usually dark when it is around - It flys quite erratically, not as much as a swift or swallow, but definitly darts around.
It seems to be the size of a large blackbird but may be deceptive due to darkness.

In flight I hear a constant shrill calling. There seems to be 2 or 3 of them flying around.

Is there anything else it could be??

thanks

[Tursiops2]

Originally Posted by Nick D

In flight I hear a constant shrill calling. There seems to be 2 or 3 of them flying around.

Is there anything else it could be??

thanks

Hallo Nick D, welcome to the forum.

I don't know what your area is like for nightjars, but from your description I'd guess this could be one of the larger bats, Noctule perhaps?

HTH
Tursiops2

[Nick D]

thanks for your answer - definitly not a bat - it is definitly a bird. We do have lots of bats round here, but the mystery in question is most definitly feathered.

[Tursiops2]

Originally Posted by Nick D

thanks for your answer - definitly not a bat - it is definitly a bird. We do have lots of bats round here, but the mystery in question is most definitly feathered.

Fair enough. I really couldn't say if nightjars are to be found in your area, though - they are quite restricted in their distribution, and tend to be found on heathland or open woodland rather than farmland. Hopefully someone else can shed more light.
T2

[Deer Hunter]

I would say this is a nightjar.
I live on heathland and see them everynight, in fact I even found a nest with two eggs while out walking a few days ago.
I also know someone who lives on the outskirts of town where there is an area of waste ground, once a factory, shortly to be developed. Each night he hears a nightjar calling from the waste ground thats no more than a football pitch in size.

[Dogghound]

Theres nightjars on the edges of conifer plantaions at the south of the north york moors, Your description sounds very similar to these. can you seen any white patches on the wings towards the tips? which can be seen on males. Although the call is slightly different to what you describe.

[John]

Two things are throwing me about your descriptions. First the shrill call. No way does a Nightjar have a shrill call. It is a churr and very unmistakable. This is done when perched.

Also there is a one note, fairly quiet, given mainly in flight but also just before take-off, primarily by ♂. Alarm- and warning-calls consist of series of ‘chuk’ or ‘chek’ sounds, with some units doubled (i.e. ‘chek-ek’, etc.); not unlike ‘chink’ or ‘chik’ calls of Blackbird.

The other problem I have is your description of a darting flight. I can't recall Nightjar with that type of flight. Their flight I would loosely compare with a butterfly. Quite a clumsy flight.

I would also expect you to possibly hear their wing clapping as it is quite distinctive.

Having said that, if it isn't a Nightjar I'm not sure what else it could be.

Woodcocks fly at similar times but their Roding song of ♂ consists of (generally) 2–5 slow but accelerating deep croaking or growling sounds (snore-notes) followed by sudden loud shrill sneeze (sneeze-note), each complete sequence mechanically repeated with silent intervals of 2–2.5 s. ♀ may call down roding ♂ with softer version of ♂’s sneeze-note: ‘iiiitz-iiiitz’, ‘psit’, etc.

Now that I have confused you I will leave you to it.

John

[Deer Stalker]

Not sure how far north they are but it could be a Nightjar.
They have an eratic 'floaty' type of flight, but the flight-call is a quick 'koo'ik' & I would have thought the most obvious sound would have been the 'churring'.

[Deer Stalker]

John, you beat me to it.

[Nick D]

thanks everyone for the fast replies.

I have been out this evening to have another look/listen. I cant get close enough to see any wing patterns. The call that i hear seem to be made in flight only, - it seems to have 3 distinct parts to it, 3 short wistles or "squeaks" made very quick succesion, the first and third "squeaks" are identical, and the second one is of a slightly different pitch.
Is there a website that you can listen to different bird calls?

[thunder]

Originally Posted by Nick D

thanks everyone for the fast replies.

I have been out this evening to have another look/listen. I cant get close enough to see any wing patterns. The call that i hear seem to be made in flight only, - it seems to have 3 distinct parts to it, 3 short wistles or "squeaks" made very quick succesion, the first and third "squeaks" are identical, and the second one is of a slightly different pitch.
Is there a website that you can listen to different bird calls?

Try http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/bird...tjar/index.asp

henrya

[John]

Originally Posted by thunder

Try The RSPB: Nightjar

henrya

Unfortunately Henry that's not the flight call. That is when the Nightjar is usually perched.

Click onto this link then select nightjar flight call then the wing clapping link. there is also a link to the churring sound.
Northamptonshire Sound Gallery

You might have to turn your sound up to hear them. The flight call only does it twice but that should be enough to let you know what it sounds like.

John

[geordie graham]

Hi Nick D. apparently there a lot of nightjars in Hamsterley Forest which is not far from you so it might well be a nightjar you are hearing.

[John]

Originally Posted by geordie graham

Hi Nick D. apparently there a lot of nightjars in Hamsterley Forest which is not far from you so it might well be a nightjar you are hearing.

If you go by the descriptions that Nick has stated it isn't.

It is all very well agreeing with a possible ID on a bird but you have to look how that bird sounds and how it flies. Nicks descriptions are way off the mark for a Nightjar. They don't have a shrill call and they don't fly with a direct flight.

John

[Nick D]

Hi folks,

ok - I have now had a clear view of the bird in question and can shed a lot more light on its identification.
Firstly - and sorry it is most certainly not a nightjar!

It is a lot larger - almost pigeon sized - but not as stocky. It is predominantly brown in colour and has a very long and fine beak - which seems to curve down slightly. The call seems only to be made during flight and carries a very long way. It seems to circle around a territory of apx 500m in diameter, calling as it flys. Flight is made up of what I would now call fairly "normal" flapping followed by a period of gliding. I am now more intreaged than ever to identify this bird. I have looked in books and on web - The closest resemblance seems to be a curlew - but the call is definitly not the standard curlew call, (dont know if there is a few different types of curlew call). The second one that caulght my eye as a possible candidate is the whimbrel, - not sure how feasable that is? but the call that is on the RSPB site is the closest that I have heard so far - but still not exact.

Thanks for your continued interest and help...

[John]

Check out my answer in post 7 as I mentioned the only other alternative it really could be. a Woodcock.

About half way between Nightjar and Woodpigeon sizewise.

John

[nightshade]

Wildlife SOS today had a rescued Nightjar on the programme
an excellent showing of this strangely attractive bird its gape
is amazing
the programme is likely to be repeated today and other days
in the early morning

[nightshade]

Satelite channel 524 animal planet now 13:30