• The Indian nightjar is a small nightjar which is a resident breeder in open lands across South Asia and Southeast Asia.
  • The Indian nightjar species are nocturnal birds with long pointed wings and short legs
  • Nightjar is sometimes known as “goat sucker” referring to the myth that these sweet-looking birds sucked on the milk of goats by night. While untrue, nightjars probably got this reputation for the close contact they had with goats while feeding on nearby insects.
  • Habitat and distribution:
    • The species is found in open woodland, scrub, and cultivation. It usually sits on the ground or low trees and is not found on high perches.
    • These nightjar species are distributed in Afghanistan, Iran, Indian subcontinent, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos.
  • Protection status:
    • IUCN Red List: Least Concern
Indian nightjar

(a) Golden Mahseer

(b) Indian Nightjar

(c) Spoonbill

(d) White Ibis

Answer: (a) Golden Mahseer

Notes:

  • Mahseer roughly translates as mahi fish and sher tiger; it is also referred as tiger among fish. It is a large cyprinid and known to be the toughest among the fresh water sport fish. 
    • Golden Mahseer lives in fast-moving waters, inhabiting hill streams with a rocky and stony substrate.
    • They can be found in temperatures between 5°C and 25°C.
    • The Golden Mahseer inhabits the Himalayan foothills, the Indus, Ganga and Brahmaputra basins and can also be found down south in the Balamore, Cauvery, Tambraparini, and Kosi Rivers.
  • The Indian nightjar species are nocturnal birds with long pointed wings and short legs.
  • Spoonbill is any member of six species of long-legged wading birds that constitute the subfamily Plataleinae of the family Threskiornithidae (order Ciconiiformes), which also includes the ibises. Spoonbills are found in estuaries, saltwater bayous, and lakes.
  • White Ibises are large wading birds with football-shaped bodies. They are found in  freshwater marshes, coastal estuaries, mangroves, flooded pastures, mudflats, and swamps.
Spoonbill
Spoonbill
White Ibises
White ibises
Golden Mahseer
Golden Mahseer
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