NATURAL HISTORY · CATALOGUE RECORD
Nechisar Nightjar
Caprimulgus solala Ash Safford, Telfer Duckworth & Zewdie, 1995
Source-backed taxonomic record
Accepted species in Catalogue of Life’s 11 September 2026 base release. This preserves the source classification and available supporting data; it is not a completed species monograph.
Open encyclopedia reference
The Nechisar nightjar (Caprimulgus solala) is a species of nightjar in the family Caprimulgidae. It is now thought to be a hybrid. It is endemic to Ethiopia.
The species was first discovered in 1990 when researchers discovered a decomposing specimen in the Nechisar National Park. After bringing back a single wing from the specimen to the Natural History Museum in London, it was determined to be a previously unknown species, based on a combination of its wing length and the position of a white patch on the outer primaries. Its specific name, solala, means "only a wing".
Its natural habitat is subtropical. It is probably endemic to Nechisar National Park.
In 2025, researchers taking DNA samples from the Nechisar specimen and other African nightjars concluded that the individual was likely a hybrid of a female Standard-winged Nightjar and a male Freckled Nightjar. This hybrid combination would be a first confirmed case of hybridization of Old World nightjars.
Wikipedia contributors, Nechisar nightjar; see linked history · CC BY-SA 4.0 . Plain-text lead excerpt, at most 180 words; no infobox or later sections Retrieved 2026-10-05T06:35:30.215659+00:00. This reference remains separate from the taxonomic record.
Identity & source status
- Scientific name
- Caprimulgus solala Ash Safford, Telfer Duckworth & Zewdie, 1995
- Name authority
- Ash Safford, Telfer Duckworth & Zewdie, 1995
- Common name
- Nechisar Nightjar
- Rank
- species
- Accepted status
- accepted
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Caprimulgiformes
- Family
- Caprimulgidae
- Genus
- Caprimulgus
- Extinction status
- Recorded extant
Classification family tree
Nested taxonomic groups from the source. This is not a direct-ancestor chain, a dated evolutionary tree or a phylogenetic reconstruction.
- domainEukaryota (Chatton, 1925) Whittaker & Margulis, 1978
- kingdomAnimalia
- phylumChordata
- subphylumVertebrata
- infraphylumGnathostomata
- parvphylumOsteichthyes
- megaclassTetrapoda
- classAves
- orderCaprimulgiformes
- familyCaprimulgidae
- genusCaprimulgus Linnaeus, 1758
- speciesCaprimulgus solala Ash Safford, Telfer Duckworth & Zewdie, 1995
Close classified relatives
These entries share the source’s genus, Caprimulgus. They are not necessarily the closest relatives established by molecular evidence.
| Species | Classification | Source status |
|---|---|---|
| Egyptian NightjarCaprimulgus aegyptius M. H. K. Lichtenstein, 1823 | CaprimulgidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Jerdon's NightjarCaprimulgus atripennis Jerdon, 1845 | CaprimulgidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Slender-tailed NightjarCaprimulgus clarus Reichenow, 1892 | CaprimulgidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Long-tailed NightjarCaprimulgus climacurus Vieillot, 1824 | CaprimulgidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Bonaparte's NightjarCaprimulgus concretus Bonaparte, 1850 | CaprimulgidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Grey NightjarCaprimulgus indicus Latham, 1790 | CaprimulgidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Grey NightjarCaprimulgus jotaka Temminck & Schlegel, 1845 | CaprimulgidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Large-tailed NightjarCaprimulgus macrurus Horsfield, 1821 | CaprimulgidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Sykes's NightjarCaprimulgus mahrattensis Sykes, 1832 | CaprimulgidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Swamp NightjarCaprimulgus natalensis A. Smith, 1845 | CaprimulgidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Palau NightjarCaprimulgus phalaena Hartlaub & Finsch, 1872 | CaprimulgidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Montane NightjarCaprimulgus poliocephalus Rüppell, 1840 | CaprimulgidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
Documented distribution
Source distribution statements, not a complete range map. A listed locality is not necessarily a place of origin.
Source literature & publication evidence
References attached to this source record, including nomenclatural citations where supplied. This is a selected bibliography; abbreviated citations remain in the source’s form.
- https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=686707 Source fields: Taxon.tsv dwc:namePublishedIn, Taxon.tsv dcterms:references
Origins, evidence & remaining research
Name authority and publication references document nomenclature where the source supplies it. They do not establish evolutionary origins or the earliest fossil occurrence.
Specimen-level evidence, morphology, ecological research, phylogenetic studies, a comprehensive bibliography and a located literary passage have not yet been compiled for this record. A suitable sourced image remains to be added.
Dataset citation & attribution
This exact taxon in ChecklistBank · Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11
Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11; dataset 316321; doi:10.48580/dgz5n. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ . Retrieved 5 October 2026.
Stable key: col:QSQC. Classification follows source parent identifiers. English common names may vary by region.