Photo: DickDaniels (http://carolinabirds.org/) / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Sombre Nightjar
Caprimulgus fraenatus
Sombre Nightjar (Caprimulgus fraenatus) — Nightjars & Allies of Africa.
Found across 4 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Sombre Nightjar (Caprimulgus fraenatus) is a member of the Caprimulgidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 59.7 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 Caprimulgus
- Species fraenatus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 59.7 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Caprimulgidae
- Order
- Caprimulgiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
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Least Concern
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Sombre Nightjar is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open scrub and shrubland, it is highly aerial, spending much of its time on the wing.
Migration
The Sombre Nightjar is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Sombre Nightjar (Caprimulgus fraenatus) is a species of bird in the Caprimulgidae family, part of the order Caprimulgiformes. It occurs naturally across Africa. Its distribution covers AF Eritrea, Ethiopia and Somalia to ne Tanzania.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 59.7 g, with a wing length of about 16.2 cm and a tail of around 10.9 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 543,000 km².
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Sombre Nightjar?
The Sombre Nightjar is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 59.7 g.
Where does the Sombre Nightjar live?
The Sombre Nightjar is found across Africa with a range covering AF Eritrea, Ethiopia and Somalia to ne Tanzania, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Sombre Nightjar belong to?
The Sombre Nightjar (Caprimulgus fraenatus) belongs to the Caprimulgidae family, in the order Caprimulgiformes.
What does the Sombre Nightjar eat?
The Sombre Nightjar is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Sombre Nightjar migrate?
The Sombre Nightjar is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Sombre 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.
How large is the Sombre Nightjar's range?
The Sombre Nightjar has a mapped global range of about 543,000 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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