A worldwide community photographing and learning about wildlife
Project Noah Nature School
Caprimulgus manillensis
The Philippine Nightjar (nocturnal bird) is a species of nightjar in the Caprimulgidae family. It is endemic to the Philippines .The one on the right is two days old and on the left just emerged from the egg about an hour ago. This bird is one of the least documented and studied because it is very illusive and hard to find. The female lays egg by twos on the ground without any underlays or coverings on an open area with less obstruction for direct landing maybe because this bird has very small feet and cannot walk well. Since the chicks are very vulnerable to predators the mother transfers them several times in one day by picking them with its large mouth. The bird feeds on small insects at night .
Open lands with tall grasses and open fields near forest margins.
This photo was actually shot by my father and maybe the first documented specimen of its kind in the Philippines.
Spotted on May 29, 2013
Submitted on Dec 24, 2013
3 Comments
Well, that is fine, at least you got to see them yourself, it'a a rare privilege to see a rare bird, and even more so to see the chicks.
@ Malcolm thank you. I'm not with around when my father saw the nest hmm . . . actually no nest , but when he came back the following day I come with him and we found the chicks on a different location so we did not come near or took any picture so we cannot disturb them anymore.
What a super cool spotting. Were you with your father when he saw it?