Caprimulgus clarus
Silhouette: Ferran Sayol · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~30%
The slender-tailed nightjar (Caprimulgus clarus) is a species of nightjar in the family Caprimulgidae. It is found in parts of eastern and central Africa, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda.
The slender-tailed nightjar is a medium-sized nightjar, measuring approximately 25–28 cm in length. It has cryptically patterned brown, grey, and black plumage, providing effective camouflage against dry ground and leaf litter. The head is relatively large and flattened, with a small bill and a very wide gape adapted for catching insects in flight. The tail is long and tapered, with the central feathers extending beyond the others, giving rise to the species’ common name.
Sexes are similar in appearance, though males may show slightly more prominent pale patches on the wings. No subspecies are currently recognized. The species is distributed across eastern and parts of central Africa. It inhabits dry, open environments including savanna, dry woodland, bushland, open scrub, rocky areas, and sparsely vegetated grassland. It is often associated with semi-arid regions and may occur... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Samburu National Reserve | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 2 | Tsavo West National Park | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 3 | Amboseli National Park | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 4 | Lake Mburo National Park | 🇺🇬 Uganda | |
| 5 | Tarangire National Park | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 6 | Kidepo Valley National Park | 🇺🇬 Uganda | |
| 7 | Murchison Falls National Park | 🇺🇬 Uganda | |
| 8 | Tsavo East National Park | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 9 | Serengeti National Park | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 10 | Ngorongoro Conservation Area | 🇹🇿 Tanzania |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mombasa | 🇰🇪 Kenya |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Slender-tailed Nightjar sighting in Tarangire National Park on a given day, based on 69 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 222nd most-seen of the 411 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.
January–February and July
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Slender-tailed Nightjar in Tarangire National Park on a given day, against under 5% in March–June and August–December, the lowest months.
Between 5 and 8 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Slender-tailed 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.
5th of 10
Of the 10 parks where we can rate Slender-tailed Nightjar sightings, Tarangire National Park ranks 5th at under 5%. The best odds are in Samburu National Reserve (Kenya, about 10%), Tsavo West National Park (Kenya, about 10%) and Amboseli National Park (Kenya, about 10%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Slender-tailed Nightjar is recorded against all the birds logged in Tarangire National Park (69 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.
