Caprimulgus jotaka Temminck and Schlegel, Fauna Japonica, Aves
(1847), 37, pl. 12; Hartert, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. (1892), 16,
552; Sharpe, Hand-List (1900), 2, 88; McGregor and Worcester,
Hand-List (1906), 57; Oates and Reid, Cat. Birds' Eggs (1903),
3, 74, pl. 1, fig. 14.
Calayan (McGregor); Palawan (Bourns & Worcester, Celestino,
White). Northeastern Siberia, China, Japan, Indo-Chinese provinces;
in winter to New Guinea, Malay Peninsula, Greater Sunda Islands.
"Adult male.--Above gray, finely penciled with brown, with broad
black stripes along the top of the head, back, and rump; scapulars
with velvety black centers or spots and buff or rufous-buff spots
or bar-like markings; wing-coverts with roundish buff spots speckled
with brown; some longitudinal buff spots on the hind neck; a golden
buff spot on each side of neck, just behind ear-coverts; primaries
deep blackish brown, outer webs with some minute rufous spots, inner
web of first primary with a round white spot, not reaching shaft, a
white band across both webs of next three; central pair of rectrices
deep blackish brown, with broad pale grayish brown, dark speckled bars,
the others with narrower bands, becoming more rufous on the outer ones,
and all, except central pair, with a broad subterminal white bar; a
white band across throat, interrupted at center and variegated on lower
edge with ferruginous buff and blackish spots; throat pale rufous-buff
with brown cross-markings; chest and upper breast pale grayish brown,
with dark markings and some more or less developed larger buff spots;
abdomen buff, barred with dark brown, the bars becoming broader and
less numerous on lower tail-coverts which are sometimes nearly uniform;
rictal bristles dark toward the base. Length, 279; wing, 203 to 221;
tail, 140 to 147; tarsus, 16; feathered in front.
"Adult female.--Similar to the male, but a little smaller on the
average; spots on primaries buff and speckled, band on second primary
always interrupted; spots on throat buff; tail-feathers without a
distinct white band.
"Young.--Young individuals are paler above and below, the dark
markings less developed, and pervaded with a sandy rufous tinge;
the young male shows already the white spots of the adult male, but
they are shaded with buff and that on the second quill is a little
interrupted." (Hartert.)
Worcester and Bourns took a male of this species in Palawan in
December, 1891. It was 260 in length; wing, 212; tail, 128; culmen,
12; tarsus, 14; middle toe with claw, 22. The second Philippine
specimen was shot by my assistant in Calayan Island, the last day
of 1903. This specimen measures: Length, 260; wing, 210; tail, 127;
tarsus, 15; middle toe with claw, 21. Bill and legs brown; nails black;
the stomach contained several beetles and a large mantis.
The species appears to be a migrant from Asia and although not uncommon
in Calayan we secured but one specimen. The male is distinguished from
the other Philippine species by having a subterminal white tail-band;
the female is distinguished from the females of C. manillensis
and C. macrurus by the lack of a large white tail-spot and from
C. griseatus by the much darker plumage and larger size.
Suborder MICROPODII.
Bill small and weak, the gape deeply cleft; rictal bristles not
obvious; legs and toes small and weak; middle toe-nail not pectinate;
tarsus very short; tail short to moderately long, either square or
forked, and not reaching the tips of the folded wings. Diurnal in
habits; eggs pure white, two in number; nest composed of sticks and
moss, or else wholly or in part of a salivary secretion.
Families.
a1. Culmen equal to tarsus or greater; tufts of elongated feathers
above and below eye. ... Hemiprocniidæ (p. 350)
a2. Culmen decidedly less than tarsus; no elongated feathers anywhere
on head. ... Micropodidæ (p. 351)
Family HEMIPROCNIIDÆ.
Swift-like; wings long and pointed, tail deeply forked; feet stout;
tarsus shorter than middle toe without claw; colors largely blue and
brown with a slight metallic gloss; plumage of the sexes dissimilar;
at once distinguished from any nearly related family by the elongated
white feathers above and below eye. Habits more flycatcher-like
than swift-like.