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| Sykes's Nightjar Caprimulgus mahrattensis
- Adult |
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| Photographer : | © Rajneesh Suvarna |
| Location : | Great Rann of Kutch, Gujarat, India |
| Date : |
17 January 2016 |
| English synonyms: | Sykes' Nightjar, Sind Nightjar, Sindh Nightjar |
| Bird Family : | Caprimulgidae - Typical Nightjars |
| Bird Group : | STRIGIFORMES |
| Red Data Status : | Least Concern |
| Remarks : | Sykes's Nightjar has the species name mahrattensis which signifies that it was collected on the Deccan, where it is hardly (if) ever seen nowadays. Sykes, after whom it is named and who described it, did most of his work on the Deccan describing 56 new birds. Sykes was one of the earliest Indophile ornithologists, pre-dating Hodgson and Hume. He supposedly spoke Marathi and Hindi fluently.
We chanced upon seven birds who, instead of flying off, just crouched lower and spread their wings a bit.
Then one bird finally walked a very funny walk on it short legs, the first time that I had seen a nightjar cover such a distance on foot. - RS |
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