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A photo of a Australian Owlet-nightjar (Aegotheles cristatus)
Australian Owlet-nightjar

Australian Owlet-nightjar

Aegotheles cristatus

The Australian owlet-nightjar (Aegotheles cristatus) is a nocturnal bird found in open woodland across Australia and in southern New Guinea. It is colloquially known as the moth owl. It is the most common nocturnal bird in Australia, and despite suffering from predation and competition by introduced species it is not considered threatened. The Australian owlet-nightjar is a small to medium-sized owlet-nightjar with grey upperparts and a white, barred front and a distinct dark and pale patterning on the head. In the north of Australia females can also have a rufous morph. The plumage is overall paler in desert populations. Australian owlet-nightjar's are adapted to live in open woodland, with more pointed wings and larger feet, unlike most of the rest of the family that live in dense forest (though some individuals of this species can and do live in such habitat in Queensland and New Guinea). It lives in a variety of habitats in addition to open woodland, including mangrove swamps, grasslands, mallee scrub and dense forest.
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Australian Owlet-nightjars on Birda

Photos

Sightings

A map showing the sighting location
Profile picture for Bryn Pickering
Bryn Pickering
Tuesday 27 Jun 2023 - 8:05pm
Australia
A map showing the sighting location
Profile picture for Bryn Pickering
Bryn Pickering
Monday 26 Jun 2023 - 7:35am
Australia
A map showing the sighting location
Profile picture for Bryn Pickering
Bryn Pickering
Wednesday 21 Jun 2023 - 9:03pm
Australia
A photo of a Australian Owlet-nightjar photographed in  Australia
🦢
Hannah Rolland
Tuesday 20 Jun 2023 - 8:53am
Australia

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