Documenting nocturnal avifauna: First record of the Largetailed Nightjar (Caprimulgus macrurus) from Dalma Wildlife Sanctuary, Jharkhand.

Nocturnal avian diversity remains one of the least documented areas of biodiversity in dense forested ecosystem of Jharkhand due to cryptic conduct, low detectability due to advanced camouflage and behaviour pattern of the nocturnal species. Nightjars belonging to the family Caprimulgidae are taxa of insectivorous bird that are predominantly active during the night and twilight. Due to temporal restrictions their behaviour, distribution and roles remain poorly understood. The Large-tailed Nightjar (Caprimulgus macrurus) is widely distributed across South and the South-Eastern Asia, specially inhabiting the open woods, scrubland, forest edges, rocky land with forest cover, and secondary growth habitats. Despite being found in relatively wide geographical range, their photographic evidences and confirmed records from Jharkhand is still not well documented. To better understand its pattern of distribution, ecological roles, ethological aspects, speciation, phylogenetic relationships and roosting behaviour, more diverse studies need to be conducted on regular basis. During the course of nocturnal field study conducted in the premises of Dalma Wildlife Sanctuary, Jharkhand the Long-tailed Nightjar was photographed roosting on the forest track within the dry deciduous forest habitat. The species was identified of the basis of its diagnostic elongated tail, and plumage pattern. This observation represents the first confirmed sighting and 1st record of the Caprimulgus macrurus from the premises of Dalma Wildlife Sanctuary and contributes to the documentation of Nocturnal bird diversity in the region.