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The sand-colored nighthawk is a species of nightjar in the family Caprimulgidae. It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
ID tip
The sand-colored nighthawk is 20.5 to 22 cm (8.1 to 8.7 in) long. Its upperparts are pale grayish brown with darker brown streaks, bars, and spots. The chin and throat are white to buffy white, the breast grayish white with a cinnamon tinge and brown bars and spots, and the belly white with brown spots on its upper part. The underside of the wing is also mostly white. Voice: The sand-colored nighthawk apparently seldom sings, but it does so from the ground, "a gurgling purr...interspersed with quiet throat-clearing sound and loud grawh notes." It also makes a variety of other vocalizations when chasing another bird or defending a nest.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where it lives
When to see it
Peak activity in August · a resident species across most of its range
Easily confused with
Least NighthawkChordeiles pusillusThe least nighthawk is 15 to 25 cm (5.9 to 9.8 in) long, making it one of the smallest species in family Caprimulgidae.
Nacunda NighthawkChordeiles nacundaThe nacunda nighthawk is not only the largest of the highly aerial nightjars known as nighthawks and the largest species of nightjar in the neotropics, it is one of the largest nightjar species in the world.
Antillean NighthawkChordeiles gundlachiiThe adults are dark with brown, grey and white patterning on the upperparts and breast; the long wings are black and show a white bar in flight.
Learn the Sand-colored Nighthawk for real
BeakBrain drills you on photos and calls until you can greet this bird by name in the field. Free to play, on any device.
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