Egyptian Nightjars are residents in the Dead Sea region, showing a high year-round roost fidelity

Abstract

We investigated the spatial behavior of a recently discovered breeding population of Egyptian Nightjars ( Caprimulgus aegyptius ) near the Dead Sea. While there is a prevalent migratory tendency in other populations of this species, it is unknown whether this recently discovered population is migratory or sedentary. To resolve this uncertainty, we examined their daily and annual movements by equipping five individuals (two adults, three juveniles) with GPS tags and retrieved data from the two adults (a female and a male). Sampling Nightjar’s location twice a day (once during the nighttime and once during the daytime) over a period of eleven months, we found that they exhibited resident behavior. They remained in the same area for the entire tracking period, travelling as little as 15.1 km from the tagging location, and 2.4 ± 1.7 km (mean ± SD) daily. We also documented high roost fidelity, showing a tendency to return to the same day-roost site every day within a radius of 30 m, usually in a shady spot under a small bush, and a continuous use of the same site for up to five months, during both summer and winter. Our findings confirm that at least a part of the Egyptian Nightjar population in the Dead Sea region is resident, and highlight the ecological and conservation importance of their specific, and repeatedly used, daily roost sites and year-round activity areas.

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