Egyptian Nightjar

Seen one? Add it to your free UK BirdedexHear its song and see the mapFree, no app download. Legendary bird: +50 points when you log it.

Egyptian Nightjar in the UK

One of the rarest birds on the British List, with two accepted records. The first was shot in Thieves Wood near Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, on 23 June 1883, and a stone marks the spot. The second was seen at Portland Bill, Dorset, on 10 June 1984. A third bird was found at the Pool of Virkie in Shetland on 5 September 2026 and seen by about 40 birders the next day. That record still has to go through formal assessment. The species breeds in North Africa and central Asia.

Where and when to see an Egyptian Nightjar

There is no pattern to work from. The three birds were in Nottinghamshire and Dorset in June and in Shetland in September. A future bird could turn up on any coast, most likely found by chance on open ground such as shingle, sand or bare earth, where it rests by day and relies on camouflage. News of the 2026 bird went out on the bird news services the same day, and it stayed until the next.

Habitat, diet and field notes

Habitat: Open ground (very rare).
Diet: Aerial insects.
Field note: Pale; desert species.

How to identify an Egyptian Nightjar

Similar in size and shape to our own Nightjar but much paler. The plumage is sandy grey-buff with fine, faint markings, giving a plain, washed-out look that matches desert ground. Males lack the white wing spots and white tail corners of a male Nightjar. In flight the underwing looks pale and the upperwing shows darker, barred outer feathers. It rests on the ground by day, eyes almost shut, and flies at dusk with slow, floating wingbeats.

Call and song

Silent in Britain. On its breeding grounds the song is a fast, regular, hollow knocking, 'kowrr-kowrr-kowrr', given from the ground at night. Heard something you cannot place? Bird Hear identifies UK birds from a 10 second recording, free in your browser.

Confusion species

• Nightjar: Nightjar is darker grey-brown with heavy black streaks, and males have white spots near the wingtips and on the tail corners.
• Red-necked Nightjar: Red-necked Nightjar is larger and darker with a rusty collar and a clear white throat patch.
• Common Nighthawk: Common Nighthawk has long pointed wings with a bold white bar across the outer feathers and a forked tail.

Related guide Rare birds in the UK.

Conservation status and Birdedex points

In the Birdedex the Egyptian Nightjar is a Legendary tier bird, worth +50 points when you log one. It is not on the Red or Amber lists in Birds of Conservation Concern 5.

Recent UK sightings

Similar birds

• Red-necked NightjarLegendary · Scrub
• NightjarUncommon · Heathland
• Common NighthawkLegendary · Open ground (very rare vagrant)
• Oriental PratincoleLegendary · Open ground (very rare)
• Bimaculated LarkLegendary · Open ground (very rare)
• Demoiselle CraneLegendary · Open ground (very rare)

Egyptian Nightjar: quick answers

Has an Egyptian Nightjar ever been seen in the UK?

Yes. Two records are accepted: Nottinghamshire in June 1883 and Portland Bill, Dorset, in June 1984. A bird in Shetland on 5 and 6 September 2026 would be the third if it is accepted.

Is the Egyptian Nightjar rare in the UK?

It is among the rarest of all British birds. Before 2026 none had been recorded here for 42 years. Most British birders will never see one in this country.

What habitat does Egyptian Nightjar live in?

Desert and semi-desert with scattered scrub, often near water, in North Africa, the Middle East and central Asia. It nests on bare ground and winters in the Sahel south of the Sahara. It hunts moths and other flying insects at dusk and dawn.

Kit that helps

Bird ID starter kit. Affiliate links, our own picks, no extra cost to you.