Species:

Eider (Somateria mollissima)

Nightjar (Caprimulgus europaeus)

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Length (cm):
50-71
26-28
Wingspan (cm):
80-108
57-64
Weight (gram):
1500-2800
65-100
Size group:
Bigger than a crow
Thrush-size
Main Texts:
Appearance:

Large diving duck with elongated, triangular head profile and short neck. Male: white upperparts and black belly, black cap and two light green patches at back of head. Females are mostly barred in brown. Differs from King Eider by extended feathering on light tipped bill, triangular head profile with less steep forehead and lack of v-barred flanks. Flying birds gives a more elongated impression than King Eiders.

Sound:

Males call a typical, pleasant, clear, 2-3 second long "aaaooooooh". Starting on a low note, slowly ascending and ending on a descending note. Usually accompanied by the female "ga ga ga ga".

Display-call:

Error loading Flash for sound!
See sound file


Distribution:

Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

Featherbase

CC

CC-photo:Paul Williams www.IronAmmonitePhotography.com, Licence,Link.

Sounds:Recorded by Stein Ø. Nilsen,http://www.xeno-canto.org ,CC license

Appearance:

Falcon or cuckoo-like, nocturnal bird with long tail and slender, pointed wings. Unmistakable when seen in areas where no other species of nightjars occur, or when singing. Hard to distinguish from Red-necked Nightjar in the field, but smaller size, smaller head compared to body and shorter tail give indications. If plumage is seen clearly, note general tone (grey brown), dark front edge of arm, broader upper wing-bar and small white throat patch.

Sound:

Song unique among birds, but quite similar to Mole cricket. A mechanical, continuous slur, like the sound of a distant motorbike. As opposed to the Mole Cricket, it often "shifts gear" by changing pitch to a note approximately a fourth below the drone. Flight call a peculiar "kew-eek", with a nasal and frog-like timbre.

Song:

Error loading Flash for sound!
See sound file


Distribution:

Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

Featherbase

CC

CC-photo:Andrej Chudy, Licence,Link,

CC-Photo:Paul Cools, Licence,Link.

Similar species (image):
Similar species (sound):
Silhouette Group:
Duck-like
Silhouette
Swallow-like
Silhouette
Several different images of the species
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Several different sounds of the species
Error loading Flash for sound!
See sound file
Error loading Flash for sound!
See sound file
Error loading Flash for sound!
See sound file