Swallow-tailed Nightjar

Uropsalis segmentata

Least Concern · IUCN Red List

LCLeast ConcernInvertebratesForestScrapeSmall · 43 g

What the Swallow-tailed Nightjar sounds like

Sonogram of the Swallow-tailed Nightjar: time runs left to right, pitch bottom to top, and the brighter the mark the louder the sound.
Recorded by Niels Krabbe · Subsong · Zamora-Chinchipe: camp on Ventanilla-Christopher Parson trail, Reserva Tapichalaca, Ecuador · CC BY-SA 4.0 · via xeno-canto
Sonogram of the Swallow-tailed Nightjar: time runs left to right, pitch bottom to top, and the brighter the mark the louder the sound.
Recorded by Niels Krabbe · Song · Zamora-Chinchipe: camp on Ventanilla-Christopher Parson trail, Reserva Tapichalaca, Ecuador · CC BY-SA 4.0 · via xeno-canto

ID tip

The male swallow-tailed nightjar has extremely long outer tail feathers from which the species gets its name; the female's tail is much shorter and less graduated. The male is 66 cm (26 in) long including the tail streamers and weighs about 42 g (1.5 oz). The female is 23 cm (9.1 in) long and weighs about 43 g (1.5 oz). The upperparts of both sexes of the nominate subspecies are dark brown with many tawny spots. The tail is generally brown; the outer tail feathers of both sexes have white shafts and outer webs and the others have tawny bars and spots. Voice: The swallow-tailed nightjar's song has been described as "unmistakable and beautiful ... a vibrating worr-r-r-e-e-e-e-e-r, at first sliding up, then dropping down", and is sung from the ground. It also makes "a liquid, rising pwip, and a musical mellow stuttered whistle when agitated".

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

When to see the Swallow-tailed Nightjar

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

Where to see the Swallow-tailed Nightjar

Regular range

The map shades 4 countries with regular records. Everything unshaded has no records. Countries are listed below the map.

About the Swallow-tailed Nightjar

The swallow-tailed nightjar is a species of nightjar in the family Caprimulgidae. It is found in Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru.

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

Easily confused with

Learn the Swallow-tailed Nightjar in the BeakBrain App

Photo and call practice. Coming soon to iPhone and Android.

Play today's Daily Bird

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.