Starry Owlet-nightjar

The lowland Käuzchenschwalm ( Aegotheles tatei ) is a poorly understood species of bird in the genus of cave Schwalme ( Aegotheles ). It is found in New Guinea. The taxon was described in 1941 by Austin Loomer Rand as a subspecies of Käuzchenschwalms ( Aegotheles insignis ) and classified by Thane K. Pratt as a separate species in 2000. The species name refers to the American zoologist George Henry Hamilton Tate.

Features

The lowland Käuzchenschwalm reached a size of about 25 cm. It is similar to occurring in the mountains Käuzchenschwalm, but is noticeably smaller. The plumage is overall reddish brown. The white markings, in particular at the bottom and over the eyes, are significantly reduced. The lower wings are reddish brown, brown instead of black like the Käuzchenschwalm. The coverts are reddish brown with white spots. The tail napkins are whitish. The ear-coverts are rough and short.

Occurrence, habitat and behavior

The known distribution area is located in east-central New Guinea at the headwaters of the Fly River, and in the Amazon Bay. The habitat includes lowland forests. About his life nothing is known.

Status

The IUCN classifies the species in the category of " insufficient data " ( data deficient ). So far, only four museum specimens and two other field observations have become known. The two type specimens were collected in 1936 by Austin Loomer Rand below the Palmer Junction near the Indonesian border. The third specimen was shot in 1969 in the region of Nunumai in the extreme southeast. Furthermore, a unetikettiertes, fourth museum specimen, which was collected in the 1920s exists. Two other confirmed sightings date back to 1962 when the Brown River west of Nunumai and from 2003 along the Drimgas Road about 17 kilometers north of Kiunga in the Western Province.