NIGHTJAR
The nightjar is a nocturnal and crepuscular (late evening and early morning), bird which makes it difficult to photograph. They are also known as goatsuckers due to an old myth that they suckled from goats causing the goats to stop producing milk. They look like large swifts with long swept back wings. The upperparts are grey with dark streaks. The head has a white moustachial line, and a dark bill which has strong bristles at the corners to increase the gape whilst catching their prey. The underparts are greyish brown with brown barring and buff spots. They are, therefore, very camouflaged during the day as they rest on a branch or the ground. The sexes are similar except the male has snow white spots on its wings and the corners of its tail.
This bird is often heard rather than seen, as I can testify on my early morning walks. They produce a sustained churring trill from a singing perch, which can last up to 10 minutes. The nightjars arrive on Kefalonia in May to breed and spend the Summer here, returning to sub-Saharan Africa by August or September. They have a habit of landing on paths or roads and will fly around you looking for insects. They feed on large flying insects, and I have noticed that they will target trees which are flowering and full of pollen, as this attracts the moths. There is no nest built, they lay their 2 eggs directly on the ground. They hatch after 3 weeks and fledge after another 16 to 17 days.
Please excuse the photo quality. These shots were all taken in very low light and lightened in my editing suite.
