"Metallic whip sound" doesn't sound quite right, but I suppose some of the
calls could be described that way. Have you listened to any recordings to
compare? Can you make a recording?
Often they start calling at the entrance of their hole just before dark, so you
might be able to find it while it's still light. The hole can be very small.
I'm not sure if they use the same roost every day.
This is Steven Debus's reply, from Shirley's reply:
Best detected by call at night, then approach the call with a spotlight.
Not much eyeshine. They can be seen by driving slowly around on bush
tracks, sometimes fly up from the ground. They call from their hollows
during the day, and may be seen at the entrance or they might flush out when
approached (though vulnerable to attack when flushed, so I wouldn't
deliberately flush them). At dusk they emerge and fly around, though not
much more than a silhouette in that light level. In daytime or dusk their
flight is undulating like a rosella or shrike-thrush.
Peter Shute
Sent from my iPad
> On 17 Apr 2015, at 7:23 pm, Judith L-A <> wrote:
>
> Thank you. Was there an Attached reply from Steve Debus? I'm having trouble
> opening it here.
>
> I'm at 500m in SEQ. The area is ex-dairy (previously red-cedar
> timber-getting), being now semi-rural /regrowth.
>
> Earlier I sent the following to Tim: I've never heard this call/sound on
> the place before, but can't think of what else it could be... It's a
> metallic whip! sound. My puzzle is how few hollows are close to the
> sound-source. Over the road & down the road there's some old hollows left,
> but if the species' territory size is as small as the bird's size might
> suggest... well, I'm not surprised to have not heard it before.
>
> Meanwhile, I'm trying out these suggestions, but am having difficulty in
> the pitch-black locating the bird, which seems to fly/flee quite freely.
>
> Judith
>
>
>
>
>
>
>> On 15 April 2015 at 16:38, Tim Dolby <> wrote:
>>
>> Yes, agree with Angus, spotlighting would be a good way to see them! :-)
>>
>> When spotlighting Owlet-nightjar I'd recommend holding the torch at eye
>> level and look straight down the beam of light. (This is actually a good
>> way to spotlight most birds and mammals.) In the case of Owlet-nightjar
>> specifically I've found that, for some reason (perhaps the shape of their
>> eyes?), if you don't do this, it can be a little hard to see their eye
>> shine, perhaps why Angus recommends using a headlamp.
>>
>> Cheers,
>>
>> Tim
>> ________________________________________
>> From: mcnabangus
>> Sent: Wednesday, April 15, 2015 3:07 PM
>> To: Tim Dolby; ;
>> Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Owlet-Nightjar
>>
>> Hi judith,
>> I would suggest spotlighting them is much easier, using a headtorch is
>> fine. They have very obvious eyeshine and can be tracked down fairly easily
>> when calling.
>>
>>
>> Cheers
>> Angus McNab
>>
>>
>>
>> -------- Original message --------
>> From: Tim Dolby <>
>> Date:
>> To: Judith L-A <>,
>>
>> Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Owlet-Nightjar
>>
>>
>> Hi Judith,
>>
>> At night, when you hear it, you could try a little bit of call-playback.
>> Not too much - you don't want to upset the bird in anyway - just enough to
>> see if it comes in. Otherwise, often the best way to see Australian
>> Owlet-nightjar is to find their daytime roosting tree and hollow. Scratch
>> the base of any tree that has small hollows. If present, the bird may
>> flush, thinking the noise is an intruder such as a Goanna. Interesting to
>> know where you are you, urban or country?
>>
>> Cheers,
>>
>> Tim
>> ________________________________________
>> From: Birding-Aus on behalf of
>> Judith L-A
>> Sent: Wednesday, April 15, 2015 12:51 PM
>> To:
>> Subject: [Birding-Aus] Owlet-Nightjar
>>
>> Possibly there's an Owlet-Nightjar on my place. Are there any tips out
>> hereon how to sight them???
>> Judith
>>
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