How do you identify a Short-tailed Nighthawk?

The short-tailed nighthawk is 19 to 21 cm (7.5 to 8.3 in) long. Full identification notes are on this page.

How big is a Short-tailed Nighthawk?

The Short-tailed Nighthawk is a medium sized bird weighing about 76 g.

Where can you see a Short-tailed Nighthawk?

The Short-tailed Nighthawk occurs in 19 countries, including Brazil, Costa Rica, Argentina, Panama and Ecuador.

What birds look similar to a Short-tailed Nighthawk?

The Short-tailed Nighthawk is most easily confused with the Rufous-bellied Nighthawk.

Is the Short-tailed Nighthawk endangered?

The Short-tailed Nighthawk is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

Short-tailed Nighthawk

Lurocalis semitorquatus

Nightjars and Nighthawks · Caprimulgiformes · Rare

The Short-tailed Nighthawk (Lurocalis semitorquatus) is a rare nightjars and nighthawk found in 19 countries, weighing about 76 g. The short-tailed nighthawk is a species of nightjar in the family Caprimulgidae.

Least ConcernRareEats invertebratesforestscrape nest76 g

Short-tailed Nighthawk (Lurocalis semitorquatus), photo 1 — Photo: Brett/Tele · http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Short-tailed Nighthawk (Lurocalis semitorquatus), photo 2 — Photo: Audrey Whitlock · http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Short-tailed Nighthawk (Lurocalis semitorquatus), photo 3 — Photo: Audrey Whitlock · http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Short-tailed Nighthawk (Lurocalis semitorquatus), photo 4 — Photo: Audrey Whitlock · http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Short-tailed Nighthawk (Lurocalis semitorquatus), photo 5 — Photo: Bruno Luka de Souza Bambirra Silveira · http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Short-tailed Nighthawk (Lurocalis semitorquatus), photo 6 — Photo: Bruno Luka de Souza Bambirra Silveira · http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Short-tailed Nighthawk (Lurocalis semitorquatus), photo 7 — Photo: Bruno Luka de Souza Bambirra Silveira · http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Short-tailed Nighthawk (Lurocalis semitorquatus), photo 8 — Photo: Bruno Luka de Souza Bambirra Silveira · http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Short-tailed Nighthawk (Lurocalis semitorquatus), photo 9 — Photo: Bruno Luka de Souza Bambirra Silveira · http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Short-tailed Nighthawk (Lurocalis semitorquatus), photo 10 — Photo: Bruno Luka de Souza Bambirra Silveira · http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

About the Short-tailed Nighthawk

The short-tailed nighthawk is a species of nightjar in the family Caprimulgidae. It is found in Mexico, in every Central American country except El Salvador, in Trinidad and Tobago, and in every mainland South American country except Chile and Uruguay.

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

How to identify it

The short-tailed nighthawk is 19 to 21 cm (7.5 to 8.3 in) long. One L. s. semitorquatusfemale weighed 79 g (2.8 oz) and several L. s. nattereri males weighed 82 to 89 g (2.9 to 3.1 oz). This is a rather large nightjar with an unusually short tail. Its upperparts are dark brown to blackish with rufous and buff spots and speckles. The wings are also dark brown with muted spots of several colors, an unlike most other nighthawks, do not have bold white markings. The tail is brown with tawny or grayish bars and a narrow buffy or whitish band at the end.

Where it lives

Brazil Costa Rica Argentina Panama Ecuador Peru Paraguay Guyana Trinidad & Tobago Colombia French Guiana Venezuela Suriname Guatemala Bolivia Mexico Belize Honduras Nicaragua

When to see it

Best months: January, February, March, July, August, September, October, November, December, with peak activity in October. It is a variable species across most of its range.

Easily confused with

Rufous-bellied NighthawkLurocalis rufiventris

Quick questions

How do you identify a Short-tailed Nighthawk?: The short-tailed nighthawk is 19 to 21 cm (7.5 to 8.3 in) long. Full identification notes are on this page.
How big is a Short-tailed Nighthawk?: The Short-tailed Nighthawk is a medium sized bird weighing about 76 g.
Where can you see a Short-tailed Nighthawk?: The Short-tailed Nighthawk occurs in 19 countries, including Brazil, Costa Rica, Argentina, Panama and Ecuador.
What birds look similar to a Short-tailed Nighthawk?: The Short-tailed Nighthawk is most easily confused with the Rufous-bellied Nighthawk.
Is the Short-tailed Nighthawk endangered?: The Short-tailed Nighthawk is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

Learn the Short-tailed 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.

Play BeakBrain

Every photo and recording on this page is credited to its author under the licence shown. Spotted a problem with this page, or have a better photo? Contribute.