Gould’s Icones avium (1837–1838) and vagrancy in the Pennant-winged Nightjar Caprimulgus vexillarius — could it wander to islands in the Indian Ocean?

Abstract

The Pennant-winged Nightjar Caprimulgus vexillarius was described in 1838 by John Gould from a male in breeding plumage, but its given locality, various islands in the Indian Ocean and Red Sea coasts, was eventually deemed unreliable and replaced in the early 20th century with ‘Sierra Leone’, until the latter too was noticed to be far outside the species’ usual range. Most recently, the type locality has been suggested to be ‘southern Africa’. Using his extensive published correspondence, and other information, I discuss Gould’s contacts and preparation for a monograph of the Caprimulgidae during the mid-1830s. Clues as to where he may have acquired such a specimen are virtually non-existent, and there is no definite evidence to suggest that Gould received it from any of the terra typica mentioned. Nevertheless, the possibility that this species could wander to islands in the Indian Ocean, and elsewhere far outside the usual range, is clearly evidenced by modern sightings and historical specimens.