Photo: markaharper1 / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Barred Owlet-nightjar
Aegotheles bennettii
Barred Owlet-nightjar (Aegotheles bennettii) — Nightjars & Allies of Australia & Oceania.
Found on 1 guide in our atlas — open it for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Barred Owlet-nightjar (Aegotheles bennettii) is a member of the Aegothelidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 60 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 Aegotheliformes
- Family Aegothelidae Owlet-nightjars
- Genus Aegotheles
- Species bennettii
Quick facts
- Weight
- 60 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Aegothelidae
- Order
- Aegotheliformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Data Deficient
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Barred Owlet-nightjar is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Barred Owlet-nightjar is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Barred Owlet-nightjar (Aegotheles bennettii) is a member of the Aegothelidae family, within the order Aegotheliformes. It is found across Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU c to se New Guinea.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 60 g, with a wing length of about 12.3 cm and a tail of around 11.5 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 198,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Barred Owlet-nightjar?
The Barred Owlet-nightjar is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 60 g.
Where does the Barred Owlet-nightjar live?
The Barred Owlet-nightjar is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU c to se New Guinea, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Barred Owlet-nightjar belong to?
The Barred Owlet-nightjar (Aegotheles bennettii) belongs to the Aegothelidae family, in the order Aegotheliformes.
What does the Barred Owlet-nightjar eat?
The Barred Owlet-nightjar is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Barred Owlet-nightjar migrate?
The Barred Owlet-nightjar is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Barred Owlet-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 Barred Owlet-nightjar make?
1 real field recording of the Barred Owlet-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 Barred Owlet-nightjar's range?
The Barred Owlet-nightjar has a mapped global range of about 198,000 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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