Rare Bird at Masjid al-Haram Amazes Visitors, Experts Identify It as Egyptian Nightjar
MAKKAH: A video showing an unusual bird perched on a marble railing at Masjid al-Haram in Makkah has gone viral on social media, leaving visitors and internet users astonished by its remarkable appearance.
The footage shows the bird sitting completely still, with its feather patterns and colouring resembling a carved, polished stone or a piece of wood.
Following the video’s circulation, several social media users and unverified pages claimed that the bird was the historically significant Ababil, which had appeared in Makkah. However, wildlife and bird experts have rejected these claims, identifying the species as the Egyptian nightjar.
According to experts, the Egyptian nightjar is commonly found in desert and semi-desert environments and is primarily active at night.
The bird possesses an extraordinary camouflage ability that allows it to blend almost perfectly into its surroundings. When resting on sand, rocks or stones, its colouration and feather patterns make it extremely difficult to distinguish from the surface beneath it.
The bird’s unusual appearance has attracted widespread attention online, while experts have urged social media users not to confuse its natural camouflage with unverified claims about its identity.
The viral video highlights the remarkable adaptations of wildlife and the importance of relying on expert identification rather than speculation circulating on social media.
