Eurostopodus argus
Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~10%
The spotted nightjar or spotted eared-nightjar (Eurostopodus argus) is a species of nightjar in the family Caprimulgidae. It inhabits much of mainland Australia and has also been found in several Indonesian islands. Its natural habitats are open forests and woodlands, scrub, spinifex and tussock grassland, savannah woodland and mangroves.
Spotted nightjars are larger and more colorful than other species of nightjar, and are known for their intricately flecked plumage patterns which allow them to camouflage well against the ground. Adult spotted nightjar have large white spots on four outer primary feathers, lacking the white tail markings of the more tropical large-tailed nightjar.
Spotted nightjars are nocturnal and insectivorous, and primarily roost on the ground, rarely perching in trees. They tend to both eat and drink while in flight, skimming along the surface of water holes in order to do so.
The spotted nightjar was formally described in 1892 by the German ornithologist Ernst Hartert. He amended the John Gould's genus name from Eurostopodus to Eurostopus, an amendment that has not been accepted, and coined the binomial name Eurostopus argus. Hartert specified... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hattah-Kulkyne National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 2 | Kakadu National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Birdworld Kuranda | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 2 | Kuranda Koala Gardens | 🇦🇺 Australia |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Spotted Nightjar sighting in Kakadu National Park on a given day, based on 28 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 149th most-seen of the 186 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, if each day is a fresh chance.
June
In that month about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Spotted Nightjar in Kakadu National Park on a given day, against under 5% in March–May and July–January, the lowest months. That is one of Kakadu National Park's driest months, with almost no rain against 350 mm in January. February has too few records to rate.
Between 7 and 10 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Spotted Nightjar sightings with a recorded time, and about half of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is seen both by day and at night.
Among the best
Of the 2 parks where we can rate Spotted Nightjar sightings, Kakadu National Park ranks 2nd at under 5%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Hattah-Kulkyne National Park (Australia, under 5%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Spotted Nightjar is recorded against all the birds logged in Kakadu National Park (28 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
