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UrbanScrapeSmall · 59 g
ID tip
The most distinctive feature of the scissor-tailed nightjar is the male's elongated outer tail feathers, which are almost twice as long as its body. Not including those feathers, the two sexes are 25 to 30 cm (9.8 to 11.8 in) long; including them, the male is up to 66 cm (26 in) long. Males weight 47.5 to 63 g (1.7 to 2.2 oz) and females 48 to 60 g (1.7 to 2.1 oz). Males of the nominate subspecies have brown upperparts with grayish white speckles; the middle of the back also has blackish streaks and tawny spots. It has a broad tawny collar on the hindneck.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
When to see the Scissor-tailed Nightjar
One bar for each month, and every month is filled: this bird is recorded here in all twelve. The wide bar is October, the month with the most records.
Where to see the Scissor-tailed Nightjar
The map shades 7 countries with regular records. Everything unshaded has no records. Countries are listed below the map.
About the Scissor-tailed Nightjar
The scissor-tailed nightjar is a species of nightjar in the family Caprimulgidae. It is distributed over much of eastern South America.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Easily confused with
Ladder-tailed NightjarHydropsalis climacocercaThe ladder-tailed nightjar is a species of bird in the nightjar family Caprimulgidae.
White-tailed NightjarHydropsalis cayennensisThe white-tailed nightjar is 20 to 22.5 cm (7.9 to 8.9 in) long.
Long-trained NightjarHydropsalis forcipataThe male long-trained nightjar has extremely long outer tail feathers from which the species gets its name.
Side by side: Scissor-tailed Nightjar vs White-tailed Nightjar
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