Caprimulgus pectoralis Cuvier, 1816

Adult Size

An adult fiery-necked nightjar (Caprimulgus pectoralis Cuvier, 1816) is relatively small, measuring between 23 and 25 centimeters.

Plumage Base Coloration

Their plumage is mostly a variegated mix of grayish-brown and brownish-white.

Rufous Neck Collar

The species has a distinct rufous (tawny) collar of feathers at the back of the neck, which gives it its common name.

Facial and Shoulder Feathers

They have a large white throat patch, and the feathers around their eyes and at their shoulders are chestnut brown.

Crown Markings

They have a light-colored crown on the top of their head, with a darker spot at the center.

Scapula Markings

Black spots run down either side of the scapulas.

Underfeather Pattern

Their underfeathers are brown, speckled and barred with brownish white.

Tail Shape

Their tail is roughly square-shaped.

Beak and Eye Color

This species has a dark-colored beak and entirely black eyes.

Sexual Dimorphism Markings

It is also sexually dimorphic: males have white spots on the four outermost primary wing feathers and white tips on the two outermost tail feathers, while these markings are much smaller and slightly more buff-colored in females.

Rictal Bristle Presence

Like other nightjars, fiery-necked nightjars have long, stiff hair-like rictal bristles around their beak, which is usually a distinguishing feature for the group.

Rictal Bristle Length and Count

These bristles can grow up to 20 mm long, and birds can have up to 8 bristles on either side of the face.

Juvenile Rictal Bristle Development

On newly hatched chicks, rictal bristles take 18 days to fully grow.

Rictal Bristle Coloration

The bristles are pale ivory colored at the base and darker at the tips.

Rictal Bristle Function

Bristles above the beak curl upwards to protect the bird's eyes, while those below curl downwards to help the bird catch prey.

Pectinate Claw Structure

Fiery-necked nightjars also have a pectinate claw on their middle toe, with 9 bristles each, that lets the bird comb its feathers during preening.

Chick Developmental Stage

Fiery-necked nightjar chicks are semi-precocial, meaning they are roughly mature and mobile immediately after hatching.

Chick Downy Plumage Pattern

As a result, they are born with a thin covering of downy plumage: this plumage is gray down marked with dark brown stripes that run from the bill, through the eyes, across the wings and along the dorsal tracts, joining at the preen gland.

Chick Supplementary Plumes

They also have russet-colored plumes on their face and wings, plus fuzzy light-colored plumes on the crown of their head.

Chick Size and Weight

Newly hatched chicks measure roughly 5 cm and weigh about 5 grams.

South-Eastern African Distribution

The fiery-necked nightjar is widely distributed across most of south-eastern Africa, including South Sudan, Kenya, central Tanzania, Congo, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Angola, Namibia, Botswana, and South Africa.

Central and West African Distribution

It has also been recorded in some central and west African countries: Gambia, Senegal, western Sierra Leone, Nigeria, and Cameroon.

Continental Distribution Limit

The species is found only within the African continent.

Breeding Site Fidelity

It returns to the same breeding location every year for breeding season, but never travels far from its home range.

General Habitat Types

It is a terrestrial bird species, most commonly found in forests, savannas, shrublands, and grasslands.

Woodland Savanna Habitat

It is most frequently encountered in Brachystegia-dominated woodland savannas, but also occurs in other deciduous woodlands across southern Africa.

Additional Habitat Types

It can also be found in acacia scrublands, eucalyptus plantations, and sometimes in suburban gardens surrounded by trees.

Diet Classification

The fiery-necked nightjar is an insectivore, feeding primarily on insects.

Prey Preference

Individuals have been recorded eating species from almost every insect family, though they prefer certain types of insects.

Common Prey Items

Analysis of the species' diet finds that butterflies, moths, beetles, cockroaches, termites, and mantids are the most common prey items.

Foraging Technique

To forage, the fiery-necked nightjar uses a hunting technique called hawking: it swoops off a perch to catch flying insects mid-flight.

Chick Feeding Behavior

When feeding newly hatched chicks, parents only feed chicks after the chick grasps the parent's beak.