Nightjar superstitions

In many parts of England there are various beliefs that relate to the nightjar bird, in the country the bird has been named the corpse fowl, it is related to bad luck and there is a common belief that if one hears it at night then they will never forget.

All the mysterious superstitions that surround the bird can be traced back to the Bible, the bird has been listed in the Bible as one of the birds that should not be eaten at whatever cost. The physical appearance of the bird has a lot to do with the superstitions as well, it has uncannily big eyes that make one scared and a harrowing cry that it makes sounds unfamiliar and not at all holy. There are many beliefs that it has souls of babies that have not yet been baptized and who have set out to wander all over this planet until the last day.

There were other names that were given to the bird due to its unusual appearance and character and they include the night raven, Gabriel ratchets, corpse bird, as well as a sinister who wandered in the countryside. The European nightjar is a very common bird among many people and has got several names that include Fern Owl, Night Hawk, Jar Owl, or Churn Owl; all these names have been given to the nightjar due to its unusual cry. Indeed there are very few birds that have ever received names that are far much popular than this one, it has other names that include the Goat Sucker, Dor Hawk, and Wheel Bird, these two names came about due to the habit of the bird to wheel all round the trees as they look for prey as well as the common habit of feeding on Dor beetles.

These curious names are all as a result of the highly inconspicuous character of the bird as it is very odd in character, jarring, and an irritating cry that cannot fail to get to the ear of all people even if they were not keen on what is going on out there. The bird has the ability to break all the silence that is attached to the peace of the nights especially in the forests or bushes. The bird does not seem like a bird but does look like a pallet which is falling on the cogs of a working wheel which is rotating steadily. The sound may begin early in the evening and last for the entire night. The cry is what has made the bird to get considered superstitious and evil. People identify the bird by it's sound as it will be rarely seen.