Montane Nightjar (Caprimulgus poliocephalus) [XC124803]
by Martin St-Michel from Luwalo-area, Ndundulu forest, Udzungwa Mts., Tanzania (song)
Montane Nightjar (Caprimulgus poliocephalus) [XC307899]
by Nancy from Nyandarua, Kenya (song)
Subspecies
Montane Nightjar (Caprimulgus poliocephalus) and Ruwenzori Nightjar (Caprimulgus ruwenzorii) (Sibley and Monroe 1990, 1993) are retained as separate species, contra Dowsett and Forbes-Watson (1993) who include ruwenzorii as a subspecies of Montane Nightjar (Caprimulgus poliocephalus).
Often considered conspecific with Ruwenzori Nightjar (Caprimulgus ruwenzorii). These two form superspecies with Black-shouldered Nightjar (Caprimulgus nigriscapularis) and Fiery-necked Nightjar (Caprimulgus pectoralis). Population in Saudi Arabia possibly racially distinct, requires further study. Subspecies guttifer and proposed subspecies koesteri of Ruwenzori Nightjar (Caprimulgus ruwenzorii) have sometimes been placed in present species.
The following 4 subspecies are recognised:
poliocephalus Rüppell, 1840 - South-western Saudi Arabia to Ethiopia, north-eastern Uganda and northern Tanzania.
ruwenzorii Ogilvie-Grant, 1909 - South-western Uganda to eastern Zaire; separate population in western Angola. Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, Ruwenzori Nightjar (Caprimulgus ruwenzorii).
guttifer Grote, 1921 - South-western Tanzania, northern Malawi and north-eastern Zambia; separate population in north-eastern Tanzania. Considered by some authors to be a subspecies of Ruwenzori Nightjar (Caprimulgus ruwenzorii).
BirdLife International Species Factsheet