Aegotheles savesi
The New Caledonian Owlet-nightjar (Aegotheles savesi) is among the world's most enigmatic and critically endangered birds, known definitively from only two 19th-century specimens. This small, nocturnal insectivore measures approximately 23 cm (9 inches) in length, notable for its disproportionately long tail, a feature unique among owlet-nightjars. Its cryptic plumage, characterized by a soft grey-brown coloration with faint barring, provides exceptional camouflage against tree bark. Distinct...
This owlet-nightjar is believed to inhabit dense, humid evergreen forests, particularly favoring areas of limestone karst, from lowlands up to mid-elevations. Its extremely cryptic nature suggests a preference for undisturbed, old-growth forest canopies and understories.
The New Caledonian Owlet-nightjar is an insectivore, primarily feeding on nocturnal insects such as moths, beetles, and crickets, which it likely captures in flight or gleans from vegetation.
As a nocturnal and likely crepuscular species, the New Caledonian Owlet-nightjar would spend its days roosting cryptically within tree hollows or amidst dense foliage, emerging only at dusk and dawn. Its foraging strategy is presumed to be primarily aerial insectivory, sallying from a perch to sn...
The New Caledonian Owlet-nightjar is endemic to the island of Grande Terre in New Caledonia, an isolated archipelago in the South Pacific. Its confirmed range is limited to the collection sites of the two known specimens: near the city of Nouméa in the southwest (1880) and Mount Tindo in the nort...
Critically Endangered
- It is one of the most mysterious birds in the world, known definitively from only two physical specimens collected over a century ago. - The first specimen was collected in 1880, and the second in 1913, with no confirmed visual sightings since. - Despite its presumed extinction, an unconfirmed ...