Large-tailed Nightjar

Large-tailed Nightjar

Caprimulgus macrurus

Silhouette: Ferran Sayol · PhyloPic

LCLeast ConcernNTVUENCR
Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
at Kanha National Park

In 3 days <5%

21 Verified sightings at Kanha National Park From 2019 to 2026
2,405 In all 21 parks
February Best month
☀️🌙 Day & Night When it's spotted

About the Large-tailed Nightjar

The large-tailed nightjar (Caprimulgus macrurus) is a species of nightjar known for its distinctive long, broad tail and cryptic plumage that allows it to blend into its surroundings. Found along the southern Himalayan foothills, eastern South Asia, Southeast Asia and northern Australia, its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest, subtropical or tropical mangrove forest, and subtropical or tropical moist montane forest.

The large-tailed nightjar measures approximately 31.5 to 33 cm in length. The cryptic plumage and colouration of large-tailed nightjars provide effective camouflage within its natural habitat. Males exhibit distinctive markings, characterized by a pale crown with a dark median stripe. A prominent row of black scapular feathers, bordered by broad buff or whitish-buff fringes, enhances their striking appearance. Additionally, males possess a white throat patch and along, broad brown tail marked with uneven dark bars. Large white patches on its primaries and outer tail feathers can be observed in flight.

In contrast, females display a paler and greyer plumage compared to males. They have smaller buff-coloured wing patches and... Wikipedia →

Sounds

Song0:40

Indonesia · 2026

© Ding Li Yong · XC1166606 · CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Call0:44

Malaysia · 2025

© Lim Ying Hien 林勇贤 · XC1063688 · CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Dawn song0:22

Malaysia · 2023

© Lim Ying Hien · XC840689 · CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Way Kambas National Park 🇮🇩 Indonesia
~70%
2 Kaeng Krachan National Park 🇹🇭 Thailand
~20%
3 Manas National Park 🇮🇳 India
~20%
4 Khao Yai National Park 🇹🇭 Thailand
~10%
5 Cat Tien National Park 🇻🇳 Vietnam
~10%
6 Royal Bardia National Park 🇳🇵 Nepal
~10%
7 Bali Barat National Park 🇮🇩 Indonesia
~10%
8 Raja Ampat 🇮🇩 Indonesia
~10%
9 Sundarbans National Park 🇮🇳 India
~10%
10 Chitwan National Park 🇳🇵 Nepal
<5%
11 Jim Corbett National Park 🇮🇳 India
<5%
12 Doi Inthanon National Park 🇹🇭 Thailand
<5%
13 Taman Negara National Park 🇲🇾 Malaysia
<5%
14 Sepilok 🇲🇾 Malaysia
<5%
15 Kakadu National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
16 Khao Sok National Park 🇹🇭 Thailand
<5%
17 Kaziranga National Park 🇮🇳 India
<5%
18 Royal Manas National Park 🇧🇹 Bhutan
<5%
19 Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary 🇲🇾 Malaysia
<5%
20 Keoladeo National Park 🇮🇳 India
<5%
21 Kanha National Park 🇮🇳 India
<5%

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Tamluk 🇮🇳 India
~10%
2 Singapore 🇸🇬 Singapore
~10%
3 Kuala Lumpur 🇲🇾 Malaysia
<5%
4 Jakarta 🇮🇩 Indonesia
<5%
5 Dhaka 🇧🇩 Bangladesh
<5%
6 Kolkata 🇮🇳 India
<5%
7 Dehradun 🇮🇳 India
<5%
8 Bangkok 🇹🇭 Thailand
<5%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Large-tailed Nightjar in Kanha National Park?

Rare

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Large-tailed Nightjar sighting in Kanha National Park on a given day, based on 21 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 249th most-seen of the 286 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to under 5%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a Large-tailed Nightjar in Kanha National Park?

Any time of year

In every month with enough records, under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Large-tailed Nightjar in Kanha National Park on a given day, so our monthly data shows no clear season.

What time of day is best to see a Large-tailed Nightjar?

Between 7 and 10 pm

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Large-tailed Nightjar sightings with a recorded time, and about 6 in 10 of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is seen both by day and at night.

Is Kanha National Park the best place to see a Large-tailed Nightjar?

21st of 21

Of the 21 parks where we can rate Large-tailed Nightjar sightings, Kanha National Park ranks 21st at under 5%. The best odds are in Way Kambas National Park (Indonesia, about 70%), Kaeng Krachan National Park (Thailand, about 20%) and Manas National Park (India, about 20%).

Where does the Large-tailed Nightjar sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Large-tailed Nightjar is recorded against all the birds logged in Kanha National Park (21 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.

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