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Nightjars (Caprimulgidae)

White-tailed Nightjar (Caprimulgus cayennensis) - HBW 5, p. 353

French: Engoulevent coré German: Weißschwanz-Nachtschwalbe Spanish: Chotacabras Coliblanco
Other common names: Cayenne Nightjar(!)

Taxonomy: Caprimulgus cayennensis J. F. Gmelin, 1789, Cayenne.
Has been considered to have close affinities with C. candicans, forming superspecies or possibly even conspecific, but available evidence suggests that they may not be closely related. Species formerly listed as C. albicauda. Six subspecies recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution:

  • albicauda (Lawrence, 1875) - SE Costa Rica E to NW Colombia.
  • apertus J. L. Peters, 1940 - W Colombia S to extreme N Ecuador.
  • insularis (Richmond, 1902) - extreme NE Colombia, NW Venezuela, Margarita I and islands of Curaçao, Aruba and Bonaire.

     See all 6 subspecies
  • albicauda (Lawrence, 1875) - SE Costa Rica E to NW Colombia.
  • apertus J. L. Peters, 1940 - W Colombia S to extreme N Ecuador.
  • insularis (Richmond, 1902) - extreme NE Colombia, NW Venezuela, Margarita I and islands of Curaçao, Aruba and Bonaire.
  • manati (Pinchon, 1963) - Martinique.
  • leopetes Jardine & Selby, 1830 - Trinidad, Tobago, Bocas Is and Little Tobago.
  • cayennensis J. F. Gmelin, 1789 - EC & NE Colombia E through Venezuela, the Guianas and probably extreme N Brazil.
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