Photo: Rick elis.simpson / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Nacunda Nighthawk
Chordeiles nacunda
Nacunda Nighthawk (Chordeiles nacunda) — Nightjars & Allies of South America.
Found across 8 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Nacunda Nighthawk (Chordeiles nacunda) is a member of the Caprimulgidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 159 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Caprimulgiformes
- Family Caprimulgidae Nightjars
- Genus Chordeiles
- Species nacunda
Quick facts
- Weight
- 159 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Caprimulgidae
- Order
- Caprimulgiformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Nacunda Nighthawk is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of open grassland, it is highly aerial, spending much of its time on the wing.
Migration
The Nacunda Nighthawk is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Nacunda Nighthawk (Chordeiles nacunda) belongs to the Caprimulgidae family of the order Caprimulgiformes. It is found across South America. Its distribution covers SA widespread.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 159 g, with a wing length of about 23.8 cm and a tail of around 12.4 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 12.3 million km² — a very large global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Nacunda Nighthawk?
The Nacunda Nighthawk is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 159 g.
Where does the Nacunda Nighthawk live?
The Nacunda Nighthawk is found across South America with a range covering SA widespread, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Nacunda Nighthawk belong to?
The Nacunda Nighthawk (Chordeiles nacunda) belongs to the Caprimulgidae family, in the order Caprimulgiformes.
What does the Nacunda Nighthawk eat?
The Nacunda Nighthawk is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Nacunda Nighthawk migrate?
The Nacunda Nighthawk is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Nacunda Nighthawk endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Nacunda Nighthawk make?
1 real field recording of the Nacunda Nighthawk — including its alarm call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Nacunda Nighthawk's range?
The Nacunda Nighthawk has a mapped global range of about 12.3 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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