Papuan Nightjar
Eurostopodus papuensis
Papuan Nightjar (Eurostopodus papuensis) — Nightjars & Allies of Australia & Oceania.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Papuan Nightjar (Eurostopodus papuensis) is a member of the Caprimulgidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 80.5 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Caprimulgiformes
- Family Caprimulgidae Nightjars
- Genus Eurostopodus
- Species papuensis
Where it lives
Salawati (Raja Ampat Is., northwest of New Guinea) and New Guinea
Quick facts
- Weight
- 80.5 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Caprimulgidae
- Order
- Caprimulgiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Papuan Nightjar is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it is highly aerial, spending much of its time on the wing.
Migration
The Papuan Nightjar is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Papuan Nightjar (Eurostopodus papuensis) belongs to the Caprimulgidae family of the order Caprimulgiformes. It occurs naturally across Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU Salawati (Raja Ampat Is., nw of New Guinea) and New Guinea.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 80.5 g, with a wing length of about 19 cm and a tail of around 13.2 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 503,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Papuan Nightjar?
The Papuan Nightjar is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 80.5 g.
Where does the Papuan Nightjar live?
The Papuan Nightjar is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU Salawati (Raja Ampat Is., nw of New Guinea) and New Guinea, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Papuan Nightjar belong to?
The Papuan Nightjar (Eurostopodus papuensis) belongs to the Caprimulgidae family, in the order Caprimulgiformes.
What does the Papuan Nightjar eat?
The Papuan Nightjar is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Papuan Nightjar migrate?
The Papuan Nightjar is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Papuan Nightjar endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Papuan Nightjar make?
1 real field recording of the Papuan Nightjar — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Papuan Nightjar's range?
The Papuan Nightjar has a mapped global range of about 503,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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