Rufous Nightjar

Antrostomus rufus

Least Concern · IUCN Red List

LCLeast ConcernInvertebratesWoodlandScrapeMedium · 94 g

What the Rufous Nightjar sounds like

Sonogram of the Rufous Nightjar: time runs left to right, pitch bottom to top, and the brighter the mark the louder the sound.
Recorded by Rosa Elena Albornoz @rosaelena_naturaleza · Song · Fila De Mariches (near Parroquia La Dolorita), Sucre, Distrito Capital, Venezuela · CC0 · via xeno-canto
Sonogram of the Rufous Nightjar: time runs left to right, pitch bottom to top, and the brighter the mark the louder the sound.
Recorded by Rosa Elena Albornoz @rosaelena_naturaleza · Song · Valle Fresco (near Parroquia La Dolorita), Sucre, Miranda, Venezuela · CC0 · via xeno-canto
Sonogram of the Rufous Nightjar: time runs left to right, pitch bottom to top, and the brighter the mark the louder the sound.
Recorded by Rosa Elena Albornoz @rosaelena_naturaleza · Song · Fila De Mariches (near Parroquia La Dolorita), Sucre, Distrito Capital, Venezuela · CC0 · via xeno-canto

ID tip

The rufous nightjar is 25 to 30 cm (9.8 to 12 in) long. Males weight 88 to 98 g (3.1 to 3.5 oz) and females 89 to 98 g (3.1 to 3.5 oz). It is almost entirely reddish brown, with a buff collar on the sides and back of the neck and a white band under the throat. The upperparts have dark brown streaks, the wings are spotted and barred with dark brown, and the underparts are speckled with dark brown and white. The wings have no white, unlike those of many others of its family. Voice: The rufous nightjar's song has been interpreted by several authors; two examples are "a loud, staccato chup, whi-whi-RIoh or chuck whip-his-WIDdow, repeated fairly rapidly" and "an energetic, rhythmic chuck, wick-wick-WEEoo." The song is usually given from a perch at any level up to 20 m (66 ft) above the ground.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

When to see the Rufous Nightjar

One bar for each month. Filled bars are the 11 months with records; pale bars are months with none. The wide bar is October, the month with the most records.

Where to see the Rufous Nightjar

Regular range

The map shades 15 countries with regular records. Everything unshaded has no records. Countries are listed below the map.

About the Rufous Nightjar

The rufous nightjar is a species of nightjar in the family Caprimulgidae. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guyana, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Saint Lucia, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela.

Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Easily confused with

Side by side: Eastern Whip-poor-will vs Rufous Nightjar · Chuck-will's-widow vs Rufous Nightjar · Mexican Whip-poor-will vs Rufous Nightjar · Buff-collared Nightjar vs Rufous Nightjar · Dusky Nightjar vs Rufous Nightjar

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