Another species, the Needle-tailed Swift (Acanthyllis caudacuta) has occurred on two occasions in England. It breeds in Central Asia, migrating in winter to Australia, and except for these two instances is unrecorded from Europe.
THE NIGHTJAR
Caprimulgus europæus (Linnæus)
Arriving, the latest of all our migrants, towards the middle of May, and leaving again early in September, this strange bird is but little known to the majority of people, although by no means uncommon in suitable localities.
Its favourite haunts are gorse commons, and moorlands on the edge of woods, especially where bracken grows freely, and in such situations it may be found throughout our islands. The best time to see it is at dusk, when it comes out to capture moths, beetles, and other crepuscular insects which form its chief sustenance. Its flight is silent and very bat-like, twisting and turning with great ease and agility, now and again striking its wings together with a loud clap and uttering at the same time a sharp little whistle. When resting on a branch, which it invariably does lengthways, a curious reeling note or vibrating “churr” is uttered.
No nest is made, but the two white eggs, boldly blotched and mottled with brown and lilac, are laid on the bare ground without any attempt at concealment. The bird sits very closely, and her dull greyish plumage so assimilates with her surroundings that it is almost impossible to see her until she rises and circles round, uttering a harsh “chuck, chuck.”
The young, when first hatched, are covered with an ashy grey down, and have, even at this tender age, the large mouth with enormous gape, characteristic of this family. They do not remain in the nest till fledged, but crawl about on the ground. They do not, however, attempt to feed themselves, and are carefully tended by their parents till they are well able to fly, when they at once quit this country to winter in tropical Africa.
The plumage of both sexes is nearly alike, and is ashy grey, streaked and spotted irregularly with brown. The male has a white spot near the centre of each of the three outer primaries, and the two outermost pairs of tail feathers are tipped with white. These white markings are absent in the female. The young practically resemble the female Length 10·5 in.; wing 7·55.
One example each of two other species of this family, the Red-necked Nightjar (Caprimulgus ruficollis) and the Egyptian Nightjar (Caprimulgus ægyptius) have been taken in England. The first named is a native of Southern Spain and North Africa as far east as Tunisia; the breeding-quarters of the other are in South-east Europe, Egypt, Nubia, and Tunisia. In general appearance they both closely resemble our common species; the Red-throated may, however, be recognised by the tawny collar encircling the head, and the Egyptian by the inner webs of the primaries being pure white.
THE WRYNECK
Iynx torquilla, Linnæus
Under the name of the “Cuckoo’s Mate” this species is well known in our southern and south-eastern counties. Elsewhere in England it is rare or local, and in Scotland and Ireland it is of very irregular occurrence. The name “Cuckoo’s Mate” is derived from the fact that its arrival usually coincides pretty closely with that of the Cuckoo, namely during the first week in April, but in other respects it has no connection in habits or distribution with the better-known species. Owing to its dull and unobtrusive plumage, and more especially from its custom of inhabiting gardens and woods, it is not easy to see, though to those who know its note, which is a sharp “qui, qui, qui,” its presence will be frequently made known. It feeds chiefly on ants, which it searches for on the ground or on tree-trunks. These are rapidly conveyed to its mouth by a quick motion of its long extensile tongue, which is coated with a sticky mucus, and the rate at which this organ is shot forwards and backwards is almost incredible, and reminds one rather of the tongue in the chameleons and some other lizards. It breeds in the hole of a tree, and the six round white eggs are laid on the wood itself without any attempt at a nest. If the hole be visited during incubation the sitting bird will utter a peculiar hissing noise, and at the same time twist her neck in a most surprising manner. This habit, which is well calculated to make the observer believe the hole to be tenanted by a snake, has given rise to the name of “Snake-bird” as well as the better-known one of Wryneck. The sexes are alike in plumage, the general colour being greyish with dark streaks of brownish black on the nape and scapulars. Throat, upper breast, and flanks yellowish, becoming paler on the belly, with narrow black bars and arrow markings. The young are greyer, and have no yellow or arrow-shaped markings on the under parts. Length 7 in.; wing 3·4 in.