Aegothelidae - Owlet-nightjars
The Aegothelidae or Owlet-nightjars are small crepuscular birds related to the nightjars and frogmouths; they are an exclusively Australasian group. Most are native to New Guinea, but some species extend to Australia, the Moluccas, and New Caledonia. The monotypic family has one genus Aegotheles.
Owlet-nightjars are insectivores that hunt mostly in the air but sometimes on the ground; their soft plumage is a cryptic mixture of browns and paler shades, they have fairly small, weak feet (but larger and stronger than those of frogmouths or nightjars) and a tiny bill that opens extraordinarily wide, surrounded by prominent whiskers. Their wings are short, with 10 primaries and about 11 secondaries; their tails are long and rounded.
The relationship between the owlet-nightjars and the (traditional) Caprimulgiformes has long been controversial and obscure and remains so today: in the 19th century they were regarded as a subfamily of the frogmouths, and they are still generally considered to be related to the frogmouths and/or the nightjars. It appears though that that they are not so closely related to either as previously thought, and that the owlet-nightjars share a more recent common ancestor with the Apodiformes. It has been suggested that they should be considered a distinct order, Aegotheliformes. This, the caprimulgiform lineage(s), and the Apodiformes, are postulated to form a clade called Cypselomorphae, with the owlet-nightjars and the Apodiformes forming the clade Daedalornithes.
However, a comprehensive 2003 study incorporating DNA sequencing suggests that there are 10 species of owlet-nightjar; they are:
Feline Owlet-Nightjar Aegotheles insignis
Starry (Spangled) Owlet-Nightjar Aegotheles tatei
Moluccan Owlet-Nightjar (Long-whiskered) Aegotheles crinifrons
Wallace's Owlet-Nightjar Aegotheles wallacii
Archbold's Owlet-Nightjar Aegotheles archboldi
Mountain Owlet-Nightjar Aegotheles albertisi
New Caledonian (Enigmatic) Owlet-Nightjar Aegotheles savesi
Barred Owlet-Nightjar Aegotheles bennettii
Vogelkop Owlet-Nightjar Aegotheles affinis
Australian Owlet-Nightjar Aegotheles cristatus
Family Links
Owlet Nightjars Aegothelidae
The Owlet-Nightjars are a small group of nocturnal birds found only in Australasia, and all are in the same genus (Aegotheles). One species is fairly widespread in open country of Australia and southern New Guinea, the Australian Owlet-Nightjar...
Species Links
New Caledonian Owlet-nightjar Aegotheles savesi
BirdLife species profile...
Feline Owlet-Nightjar Aegotheles insignis
IBC species account with video, map etc...
Moluccan Owlet-Nightjar Aegotheles crinifrons
The Moluccan owlet-nightjar (Aegotheles crinifrons), also known as the long-whiskered owlet-nightjar, is a species of bird in the family Aegothelidae. It is endemic to Indonesia.
Wallace's Owlet-Nightjar Aegotheles wallacii
IBC species account with taxonomy...
Wallace's Owlet-Nightjar Aegotheles wallacii
The Wallace's owlet-nightjar (Aegotheles wallacii) is a species of bird in the family Aegothelidae. It is found in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.
Australian Owlet-Nightjar Aegotheles cristatus
IBC species account with taxonomy...
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.
Australian Owlet-Nightjar Aegotheles cristatus
Birds in Backyards species account...
Archbold's Owlet-nightjar Aegotheles archboldi
The Archbold's owlet-nightjar (Aegotheles archboldi) is a species of bird in the Aegothelidae family. It is found mainly in West Papua. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. It is named after American explorer Richard Archbold.
Barred Owlet-Nightjar Aegotheles bennettii
The barred owlet-nightjar (Aegotheles bennettii) is a species of bird in the Aegothelidae family. It is found in New Guinea. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. It has a spotted belly.
Feline Owlet-Nightjar Aegotheles insignis
The feline owlet-nightjar (Aegotheles insignis) is a species of bird in the family Aegothelidae. It is found in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests.
Mountain Owlet-Nightjar Aegotheles albertisi
The mountain owlet-nightjar (Aegotheles albertisi) is a species of bird in the family Aegothelidae. It is found in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests.
Starry Owlet-nightjar Aegotheles tatei
The starry owlet-nightjar (Aegotheles tatei), also known as the spangled owlet-nightjar, is a species of bird in the family Aegothelidae. It is endemic to Papua New Guinea. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests It is threatened by habitat loss.
Vogelkop Owlet-Nightjar Aegotheles affinis
Vogelkop Owlet-Nightjar Aegotheles affinis
The Vogelkop owlet-nightjar or allied owlet-nightjar (Aegotheles affinis) is a species of bird in the family Aegothelidae. It can be found in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. It is known from Bird's Head Peninsula and Eastern Highlands Province.
Vogelkop Owlet-Nightjar Aegotheles affinis
Wallace's Owlet-Nightjar Aegotheles wallacii
Number of Species
Number of bird species: 10
Useful Reading
Nightjars
A Guide to the Nightjars and Related Nightbirds by Nigel Cleere and Dave Nurney Pica Press 1998
ISBN: 1873403488
Buy this book from NHBS.comOther Links
New Zealand Owlet-Nightjar Aegotheles novazelandiae
The New Zealand owlet-nightjar (Aegotheles novazelandiae) was a large species of owlet-nightjar (family Aegothelidae) formerly endemic to the islands of New Zealand. Fossil remains (which are common in the pellets of the extinct laughing owl) indicate the species was once widespread across both the North Island and the South Island. Despite a small number of reports of small owls being found in the 19th century that may have been New Zealand owlet-nightjars, the species is thought to have become extinct around 1200 AD.
Phylogeny of the owlet-nightjars
The avian family Aegothelidae (Owlet-nightjars) comprises nine extant species and one extinct species, all of which are currently classified in a single genus, Aegotheles. Owlet-nightjars are secretive nocturnal birds of the South Pacific. They are relatively poorly studied and some species are known from only a few specimens...
Breeding Biology of Australian Owlet-nightjars
Although the Australian Owlet-nightjar Aegotheles cristatus is probably the most abundant and one of the most widespread nocturnal birds in Australia, the majority of information published about its ecology, behaviour and especially reproductive biology is anecdotal. Based on six observed nesting attempts, we report data on breeding season, clutch size, incubation and brooding behaviour, nestling growth rates, fledging success, fledgling behaviour and roost site use for a population breeding near Armidale, New South Wales, during 1996–97....
Photographers & Artists
Australian Owlet-Nightjar Aegotheles cristatus