Yucatan Poorwill
Nyctiphrynus yucatanicus
The Yucatan Poorwill (Nyctiphrynus yucatanicus) is a rare nightjars and nighthawk found in 3 countries, weighing about 25 g. The Yucatan poorwill is a species of nightjar in the family Caprimulgidae.
About the Yucatan Poorwill
The Yucatan poorwill is a species of nightjar in the family Caprimulgidae. It is found in the Yucatán Peninsula of Belize, Guatemala, and Mexico.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The Yucatan poorwill is 19.5 to 22 cm (7.7 to 8.7 in) long, making it the smallest species of nightjar in the Yucatán Peninsula. One male weighed 21.3 g (0.75 oz) and one female 27.7 g (0.98 oz). Both sexes have a brown morph; there is also a rufous morph that is much more prevalent among females. The former is mostly dark grayish brown with a variety of dusky, gray, and black vermiculation and streaks. Its face is dark sooty brown to brownish black with brown vermiculation. It has a faint buffy collar on its nape and a white patch on the throat. Voice: The Yucatan poorwill's song is "a loud, slightly resonant whirr or whirrrr". It is given at night from a tree perch, mostly between February and October. It also makes "a slightly liquid, at times accelerating puk-puk...and a sharp week week week in flight". The latter is thought to be an alarm call. The song has been confused with the song of the yucatan nightjar (Caprimulgus badius).
What the Yucatan Poorwill sounds like
Where it lives
When to see it
Best months: January, February, March, April, May, September, October, November, December, with peak activity in March. It is a variable species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Yucatan Poorwill?
- The Yucatan poorwill is 19.5 to 22 cm (7.7 to 8.7 in) long, making it the smallest species of nightjar in the Yucatán Peninsula. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Yucatan Poorwill?
- The Yucatan Poorwill is a small sized bird weighing about 25 g.
- Where can you see a Yucatan Poorwill?
- The Yucatan Poorwill occurs in 3 countries, including Belize, Mexico and Guatemala.
- What does a Yucatan Poorwill sound like?
- You can listen to a field recording of the Yucatan Poorwill on this page, contributed to xeno-canto under open licences.
- What birds look similar to a Yucatan Poorwill?
- The Yucatan Poorwill is most easily confused with the Choco Poorwill, the Eared Poorwill and the Ocellated Poorwill.
- Is the Yucatan Poorwill endangered?
- The Yucatan Poorwill is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Yucatan Poorwill 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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