Caprimulgus nubicus

The Nubian Nightjar is classified as Vulnerable (VU) because of the small size of its population (less than 250 mature individuals). In the previous edition of the Red Book (2002), it was classified as Critically Endangered (CR). The improvement in the status of the species reflects stabilization and expansion of the population to the northern Arava.

Habitats	Desert Plains, Salt Marsh
Presence In Israel	Resident
Nesting In Israel	Breeder
Migration Types	Short Range / Partial
Zoography Zones	Sudano-Zambezian
Landscape Formations	Plains & Valleys, Salt Marsh
Vegetation Densities	Medium
Nest Locations	Ground
Diet Types	Invertebrate
Foraging Grounds	Aerial
Body Sizes	Small (up to 500g)
Threat Factors	Pesticide Poisoning, Habitat Fragmentation, Agricultural Management

The Nubian Nightjar has a pale rusty brown plumage, with white spots on its wings and on the tips of its tail, which are visible in flight. The sexes are similar. The male song sounds like a distant dog bark and can be heard in spring and summer. It feeds mostly on moths that it locates from the ground, using mainly its sight, and therefore is more active at dawn and dusk and on nights with strong moonlight.

The Nubian Nightjar is a rare resident and summer breeding species at the northern Arava and in the Dead Sea area. Its population is estimated at 60-70 pairs in the Sodom Basin, 10-20 pairs in the northern Arava, 5-10 pairs in the northern Dead Sea and a few pairs in the southern Arava (Haviv & Perlman 2016, Moran Bakish pers. comm., Noam Weiss pers. comm.), with a total of 75-100 pairs. Until the early 1980s, it was a relatively common breeder in extensive areas in the Arava and Dead Sea valleys, as well as in the Jordan Valley north up to Bet She’an. The drastic reduction in the number of individuals and in its range was recorded during the 1980s. At the end of the decade, the species population was assessed at 15-20 pairs in the Arava and a few pairs in the Jordan and Bet She’an valleys (Shirihai 1996).

Salt marshes with scattered tamarisk trees, rocky flats and sand dunes with sparse vegetation in desert Sudanian climate.

Habitat destruction – mainly expansion of cultivated areas at the expense of salt marshes.
Poisoning – the species was apparently affected by insecticides.
Roadkill – the species is very susceptible to roadkill because of its tendency to freeze on the spot when it is blinded by vehicle headlights and low-flying hunting behavior.
Direct disturbance – mainly by off-road vehicles.

No specific conservation measures have been taken for this species to date.

The core areas in which there is relatively dense Nubian Nightjar nesting should be preserved and receive statutory protection.

• חביב, א. ופרלמן, י. 2016. סיכום ניטור תחמס נובי (Caprimulgus nubicus) במלחת סדום, קיץ 2015. דו"ח מרכז הצפרות של החברה להגנת הטבע.
• פז, ע. 1986. עופות. מתוך אלון, ע. (עורך), החי והצומח של ארץ ישראל. כרך 6. הוצאת משרד הביטחון, ישראל.
• פרלמן, י. 2005. על מצבו של התחמס הנובי בישראל. העזניה 33, הוצאת טבע הדברים והחברה להגנת הטבע.
• פרלמן, י., שוחט, א. ולבינגר, ז. 2009. סקר אטלס ציפורים בערבה סיכום שנת 2009. דו"ח מרכז הצפרות של החברה להגנת הטבע.

• Shirihai, H., 1996. The Birds of Israel. Academic Press, London.
• Symes, A. 2013. Species generation lengths. Unpublished, BirdLife International.
• Species page at Birdlife International