Taxonomy
The order Caprimulgiformes contains several families of nocturnal insectivores, these are the frogmouths, the potoos, the Oilbird and the nightjars. The latter family is normally split into two subfamilies, the American nighthawks, Chordelinae, and the typical nightjars Caprimulginae. The eared nightjars are sometimes considered a subfamily Eurostopodinae of the Caprimulgidae but some studies have them as a sister group, while others treat them as a clade within the caprimulgids; others consider that the genus Eurostopodus may not be monophyletic. If the presence of ear tufts is a defining taxonomic feature, Great and Malaysian Eared-nightjars could be moved to a genus Lyncornis.
The eared nightjars consist of seven extant species in one genus, Eurostopodus.
- Archbold's Nightjar, Eurostopodus archboldi
- Spotted Nightjar, Eurostopodus argus
- Satanic Nightjar, Eurostopodus diabolicus
- Great Eared Nightjar, Eurostopodus macrotis
- White-throated Nightjar, Eurostopodus mystacalis
- New Caledonian White-throated Nightjar, Eurostopodus (mystacalis) exsul - possibly extinct (mid-20th century)
- Papuan Nightjar, Eurostopodus papuensis
- Malaysian Eared Nightjar, Eurostopodus temminckii
Read more about this topic: Eared Nightjar