Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo [The Democratic Republic of the], Côte dIvoire, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania [United Republic of], Togo, Uganda, Yemen.
Vagrant to Burundi, Djibouti, Gabon.
Southern Mauritania and northern Senegal east to Ethiopia, north-western Somalia and north-western Kenya, and south-western Saudi Arabia southern into Yemen. Winters from Senegal and Liberia to south-western Sudan and possibly south-western Ethiopia, and south to Tanzania.
Rarity Status
Currently this species is not classified as a rarity in this country OR information has not been updated.
Population
Estimated population is unknown (2010).
Plain Nightjar (Caprimulgus inornatus) [XC170217]
by David Darrell-Lambert from Pendjari Lodge, Pendjari National Park, Tangui\u00e9ta, Atakora, Benin (alarm call, wing clap)
Plain Nightjar (Caprimulgus inornatus) [XC746439]
by Richard Hoyer from Marabah, Ragal Almaa, Aseer Province, Saudi Arabia (song)
Subspecies
Possibly forms superspecies with Star-spotted Nightjar (Caprimulgus stellatus). Birds from south-western Ethiopia formerly separated as subspecies ludovicianus, which was sometimes considered a separate species. Birds of Niger formerly separated as subspecies vinaceabrunneus.
BirdLife International Species Factsheet