Satanic nightjar
| Satanic nightjar | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family: | Caprimulgidae |
| Genus: | Eurostopodus |
| Species: | E. diabolicus |
| Binomial name | |
| Eurostopodus diabolicus Stresemann, 1931 | |
The satanic nightjar (Eurostopodus diabolicus), also known as satanic eared nightjar, Sulawesi eared nightjar, diabolical nightjar or Heinrich's nightjar, is a medium-sized, approximately 27 cm long, greyish-brown spotted nightjar with dark crown, barred brown below and small white spot on the third and fourth outer primaries wing feathers.
A Sulawesi endemic, this poorly known species was discovered in 1931 at Minahasa peninsula of North Sulawesi. Previously known only from a single female collected in Klabat Volcano, this species was rediscovered in May 1996 at Lore Lindu National Park in Central Sulawesi.
The common and scientific names of this species refer to a local superstition: it is associated with a "wet" plopping sound, repeated twice, that may be heard in the nighttime in its habitat. Locals believe this bird to be a demonic entity that tears the eyes of sleeping people out, hence the sound. The voice recorded during more recent studies does not match this description, however.[2]
Due to ongoing habitat loss, small population size and limited range, the satanic nightjar is evaluated as "Vulnerable" on the IUCN Red List of threatened species.[1]
References
- 1 2 BirdLife International (2012). "Eurostopodus diabolicus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2013.2. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 26 November 2013.
- ↑ Collar, Nigel J., ed. (2001). Threatened Birds of Asia: The BirdLife International Red Data Book (PDF). Cambridge, UK: BirdLife International. p. 1780. ISBN 0-946888-44-2. Retrieved 7 August 2014.