Australian Owlet-Nightjar

Aegotheles cristatus

This bird has just been assessed for injuries before being confined to a a small lined cage.
There were no apparent injuries and after a couple of days in care the bird was released back into the wild.

other name

Moth Owl

..
DESCRIPTION

Adults: Sexes similar in appearance, female slightly larger and often more reddish toned. Plumage variable in colour, usually grey to reddish. Upper parts soft deep grey, finely speckled and barred with white and sometimes rufous. Head with central black strip and two lateral black stripes, one over each eye, stripes meet on the nape. Cheeks plain grey-white, often washed rufous Flight feathers dusky-grey, spotted with ochre or rufous. Underparts white speckled and barred with grey, particularly on the throat and breast. Tail dusky-grey, barred with rufous-grey Eye deep brown. Tiny broad bill with cat-like whiskers. Feet and legs cream to pale grey-pink.

Juvenile: Like adults but head pattern blurred and facial bristle's and tail shorter.

Voice: Loud, two or three note rattling churring on much the same pitch, by both sexes throughout the year, probably a territorial call. Also sharp, high-pitched "chirk chirk" or "yuk". Young bet with soft, low trilling and adults respond with the same call.

This tiny nocturnal bird has huge eyes and a tiny beak sounded by cat like whiskers. Surprisingly, the tiny beak opens to a huge mouth, purpose built for catching insects in mid flight. Due to its size the Owlet-Nightjar is rarely seen in the wild, however it has one of the most common calls of the night in the Australian bush. The nightjar makes its home in hollows of a tree and has been mistaken for the face of a Sugar Glider (an Australian marsupial) when peering down. Its habitat is diverse, from coastal and mountain rainforests to eucalypt forests, interior woodlands, tree lined water courses and areas of mulga bush and is found throughout the whole of Australia. Breeding season is from August to December and two to five eggs are laid in a nest made in a hollow of a tree, or in rock crevice in arid regions and the nest is lined with a layer of leaves. The eggs are incubated by both sexes for about twenty five to twenty seven days. Young fledge at around twenty two to twenty eight days.