Indian Night Jar

In the last 7 weeks of being at Farm Hill, we have walked the roads, and then walked the paths through the fields. This week, we have been striking out on our own, trying to climb hills along goat trails. These are small hills, by the way, and not adventurous climbs.

Today, we climbed a different side of this hill, and we’re walking across a field. Suddenly, Srikar sidestepped and said, “look!”. There seemed to be a bird perched on the ground. I took the first picture.

It was sitting completely quietly, had a few twigs about it, with one across it’s beak too! Its eyes were half closed and it was totally still. We recognised it was a nightjar. My first thought was that the poor bird was dead. I got a couple more close-up shots, and then it got up and flew away!!

That’s when we noticed the egg it was hatching. We quickly left the place so as not to disturb it for the bird, hoping it will come back once we leave.

Internet confirms that India nightjars roost on the ground, and can enter periods of torpor where they look sleepy or dead. They are also great at camouflage.

Glad to have met this fellow and hope he is alright.