Photo: Francesco Veronesi / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Moluccan Owlet-nightjar
Aegotheles crinifrons
Moluccan Owlet-nightjar (Aegotheles crinifrons) — 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 Moluccan Owlet-nightjar (Aegotheles crinifrons) is a member of the Aegothelidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 136 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 crinifrons
Quick facts
- Weight
- 136 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Aegothelidae
- Order
- Aegotheliformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Critically Endangered
Data Deficient
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Moluccan 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 Moluccan Owlet-nightjar is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Moluccan Owlet-nightjar (Aegotheles crinifrons) is a member of the Aegothelidae family, within the order Aegotheliformes. It is found across Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU Halmahera and Bacan (n Moluccas).
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 136 g, with a wing length of about 16.5 cm and a tail of around 14.4 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 20,000 km² — a relatively restricted global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Moluccan Owlet-nightjar?
The Moluccan Owlet-nightjar is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 136 g.
Where does the Moluccan Owlet-nightjar live?
The Moluccan Owlet-nightjar is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU Halmahera and Bacan (n Moluccas), where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Moluccan Owlet-nightjar belong to?
The Moluccan Owlet-nightjar (Aegotheles crinifrons) belongs to the Aegothelidae family, in the order Aegotheliformes.
What does the Moluccan Owlet-nightjar eat?
The Moluccan Owlet-nightjar is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Moluccan Owlet-nightjar migrate?
The Moluccan Owlet-nightjar is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Moluccan 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 Moluccan Owlet-nightjar make?
1 real field recording of the Moluccan 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 Moluccan Owlet-nightjar's range?
The Moluccan Owlet-nightjar has a mapped global range of about 20,000 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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