Youtor
Sleepy Hollow – Adorable Owletnightjar in the Capertee Valley
>> YOUR LINK HERE: ___ http://youtube.com/watch?v=PsUlhTz34vs
This Australian Owlet-nightjar (Aegotheles cristatus) was filmed across two visits (in October and November 2018) to the Capertee Valley, NSW. After years of looking out for these cuties in various spots with potential, it seems fitting that we finally found this one in a location designated an Important Bird Area (IBA). Although we have heard these elusive birds on the odd occasion – go to https://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Ae... for samples of their distinct call – spotlighting at night and scanning hollows in the day hadn’t yielded a sighting until a casual glance at a gnarled eucalypt while recording bird sounds. Ah, could it be.... When only the head is visible it looks remarkably like a little possum (e.g. Sugar Glider). Luckily this individual (presuming it’s the same bird throughout as the sexes are similar) gave us plenty of opportunity to film across several sessions as it rested (often with one eye partly open, perhaps due to the human admirers several metres below), sunned itself (probably for hygiene, like many birds) and preened. It had a wonderful roosting tree; many hollows were visible in large and smaller limbs of this reasonably tall mature specimen. Indeed, we found the Owlet-nightjar using the first hollow (in video) in November, and a different hollow (from 1.36 mark in video) during our October visit. But as both hollows were quite high and one higher than the other, we can’t see enough of the markings to be sure it’s the same bird. Australian Owlet-nightjars form permanent pair bonds but often roost alone and use a variety of hollows in their territory. • The Australian Owlet-nightjar is our smallest nocturnal bird and probably the most widespread. But like many night birds, they are not commonly seen. In fact, they are more difficult to spot with a torch than owls, frogmouths and (actual) nightjars as they have the weakest eye-shine. But you may glimpse movement as they catch insects on the wing or snatch them from foliage and branches etc, or when they pounce on ground insects (e.g. ants). During the day they are occasionally seen at the entrance to hollows, but much of the time is spent sleeping out of sight. While they are most common in semi-arid woodland, they also inhabit eucalypt forests (usually avoiding rainforest, unlike New Guinea species), tree-dotted or tree-fringed agricultural areas and bushy suburbs. As long as suitable hollows are available (with enough to go around given other hollow-dependent birds and mammals) and insects are plentiful, the presence of Owlet-nightjars is likely. • What’s particularly fascinating about these birds is that their name comes from a superficial resemblance rather than their evolutionary history and relatives. They are neither owls nor nightjars, but instead are the only member of the Owlet-nightjar family (Aegothelidae) found in Australia. Although their body shape, rictal bristles and small bill are reminiscent of nightjars and their eyes and posture recall owls, they are more closely related to swifts and hummingbirds. For more information on Australian Owlet-nightjars go to http://www.birdsinbackyards.net/speci...
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