The
Australian Owlet-nightjar is a common and widespread bird across much of
Australia and Tasmania where habitat is suitable but it is rarely encountered
due to its nocturnal lifestyle. When it is seen, more often than not the bird
is found peering from tree hollows where it roosts by day, especially on sunny
winter’s days when they will sun themselves at the hollow entrance to soak up
warmth. Much less often the bird is flushed and then if you are lucky it may be
seen perched out in the open.
Recently one
of our Birds on Farms survey group members flushed an Owlet-nightjar at the
historic Strathfieldsaye Estate on Lake Wellington near the Perry River. I was
lucky to be in the small group surveying a 2 hectare woodland block where the
bird was flushed and even luckier to get to the site where the bird perched
briefly and take a few photos before it flew.
This
beautiful little owl-like nocturnal bird, (1) with huge eyes, distinctive head markings and
whiskers, has loads of charm. Photos posted on BirdLife East Gippsland’s
Facebook page set a record for me for the most likes and shares which I think
is testament to the wow factor of this bird.
Here are
the images posted to Facebook to share with my Avithera followers who may not
have seen them on Facebook.
Please click on photos
to enlarge.
Note: (1) After
Frogmouths, Owlet Nightjars are most closely related to Swifts – their
taxonomic relationship with owls is distant.
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