Silky-tailed Nightjar
Antrostomus sericocaudatus
The Silky-tailed Nightjar (Antrostomus sericocaudatus) is a rare nightjars and nighthawk found in 6 countries, weighing about 83 g. The silky-tailed nightjar is a species of nightjar birds in the family Caprimulgidae.
About the Silky-tailed Nightjar
The silky-tailed nightjar is a species of nightjar birds in the family Caprimulgidae. It is found in Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Peru. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The adult male silky-tailed nightjar has light grey-brown, vermiculated plumage with a strong blackish streak on the top of the head and the nape. It has blackish facial bristles and blackish spots with rufous on the side. Its hind-neck has narrow rufous-tawny half-collar plumage. The mantle, back, rump, and upper tail of a silky-tailed nightjar converts to blackish-brown with irregular patterns of buff and cinnamon. The breast is blackish-brown with short narrow bars of cinnamon and the belly is blackish-brown with blotches and irregular narrow bars of buff. Voice: The two subspecies of silky-tailed nightjar have significantly different songs. That of A. s. sericocaudatus is "a short tonal gliss connecting the two major pitch peaks ree-o-ree." That of A. s. mengeli "has an almost mournful, undulating doh wheo eeo." Both members of a mated pair sing, usually from a low perch or during low flight, and mostly at dawn and dusk.
Where it lives
When to see it
Best months: May, June, July, August, September, October, November, with peak activity in August. It is a variable species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Silky-tailed Nightjar?
- The adult male silky-tailed nightjar has light grey-brown, vermiculated plumage with a strong blackish streak on the top of the head and the nape. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Silky-tailed Nightjar?
- The Silky-tailed Nightjar is a medium sized bird weighing about 83 g.
- Where can you see a Silky-tailed Nightjar?
- The Silky-tailed Nightjar occurs in 6 countries, including Brazil, Argentina, Peru, Bolivia and Paraguay.
- What birds look similar to a Silky-tailed Nightjar?
- The Silky-tailed Nightjar is most easily confused with the Hispaniolan Nightjar, the Cuban Nightjar and the Puerto Rican Nightjar.
- Is the Silky-tailed Nightjar endangered?
- The Silky-tailed Nightjar is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Silky-tailed Nightjar for real
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