Well camouflaged against leaf litter by day; its large eyes and wide gape help it hunt moths and beetles at night.
Not listed
Endemic to Australia
Indigenous: Buugudaguda
At a glance
FamilyNightjars and Allies
SizeMedium
RarityCommon
HabitatThe spotted nightjar occurs in a variety of habitats from deserts to mangroves, generally preferring warmer, drier country than areas with more humid, cooler climates.
Best timeReported across most months in Western Australia, with no narrow seasonal peak.
Sounds
Sound sampleRecorded by Peter Boesman
Range map
Range map
200approx hotspots
8809approx records
5states
Low confidenceMediumHigh confidence
Aggregated occurance data is sourced from 14 different actively-updating datasets including eBird Australia, iNaturalist Australia, BirdLife Australia, and multiple state-based bird surveys through Atlas of Living Australia.
Species notes
Overview
Fairly common in inland Australia. Primarily gray-brown with reddish-brown collar and extensive spots and barring. In flight, all-dark tail and prominent pale spots on outer wing visible. Most commonly seen when flushed from road at night.
Behavior
Song is an eerie wail that ascends in pitch and finishes in crescendo.
Gallery
Regional timing
Northern Territory
Western Australia
Queensland
Victoria
New South Wales
South Australia
Australian Capital Territory
Commonly confused with
Large-tailed NightjarCaprimulgus macrurusBrownish gray overall, with a rich brown ear patch and chestnut-and-black dappled wings. Exposes bright white tail corners when flushed. Sometimes found in parks and gardens, where it hawks for insects below street lamps. Song a repeated, soft “tok tok tok,” somewhat recalling the sound of a car's locking sounds.→White-throated NightjarEurostopodus mystacalisPrimarily dark gray, with extensive barring. All-dark tail and fairly plain wing evident in flight.→