Caprimulgus vexillarius
Silhouette: Andy Wilson · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~30%
The pennant-winged nightjar (Caprimulgus vexillarius) is a species of nightjar that occurs from Nigeria to northern South Africa. It is an intra-African migrant and displays remarkable sexual dimorphism in the breeding season.
Their preferred habitat south of the equator is plateau woodlands, especially Miombo, where they are partial to stony or boulder-strewn hillsides. They are observed as bi-annual and social passage migrants along the Kenyan Rift Valley and Lake Victoria regions, and spend the non-breeding season in subtropical savanna from Nigeria to Sudan.
The male of the species is characteristic in having a broad white band over the otherwise black primaries. In addition the males acquire a striking 2nd primary feather during the breeding season. These pennant feathers grow to greater lengths in successive years, up to twice the body length. They are dropped or broken off quickly upon completion of breeding. With the distal (9th) and proximal (1st - 3rd) primaries being longest, the wings of male birds are distinctly angular.
Foraging birds emerge in the late afternoon or directly after sunset for crepuscular feeding and... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mana Pools National Park | 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe | |
| 2 | Murchison Falls National Park | 🇺🇬 Uganda | |
| 3 | Kafue National Park | 🇿🇲 Zambia | |
| 4 | Lake Mburo National Park | 🇺🇬 Uganda | |
| 5 | Akagera National Park | 🇷🇼 Rwanda | |
| 6 | Virunga National Park | 🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo | |
| 7 | Kidepo Valley National Park | 🇺🇬 Uganda | |
| 8 | Lower Zambezi National Park | 🇿🇲 Zambia | |
| 9 | South Luangwa National Park | 🇿🇲 Zambia | |
| 10 | Queen Elizabeth National Park | 🇺🇬 Uganda | |
| 11 | Serengeti National Park | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 12 | Kruger National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Pennant-winged Nightjar sighting in Murchison Falls National Park on a given day, based on 74 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 222nd most-seen of the 424 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 30%, if each day is a fresh chance.
July
In that month about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Pennant-winged Nightjar in Murchison Falls National Park on a given day, against under 5% in August to May, the lowest months.
Between 6 and 9 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Pennant-winged Nightjar sightings with a recorded time, and about 6 in 10 of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is most active around dawn and dusk.
Among the best
Of the 12 parks where we can rate Pennant-winged Nightjar sightings, Murchison Falls National Park ranks 2nd at under 5%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Mana Pools National Park (Zimbabwe, under 5%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Pennant-winged Nightjar is recorded against all the birds logged in Murchison Falls National Park (74 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.
