Photo: Hector Bottai / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Short-tailed Nighthawk
Lurocalis semitorquatus
Short-tailed Nighthawk (Lurocalis semitorquatus) — Nightjars & Allies of Central America & Caribbean.
Found across 14 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Short-tailed Nighthawk (Lurocalis semitorquatus) is a member of the Caprimulgidae family found in Central America & Caribbean and South America. Adults weigh 75.9 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 Lurocalis
- Species semitorquatus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 75.9 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Caprimulgidae
- Order
- Caprimulgiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
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Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Short-tailed Nighthawk is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it is highly aerial, spending much of its time on the wing.
Migration
The Short-tailed Nighthawk is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Short-tailed Nighthawk (Lurocalis semitorquatus) is a member of the Caprimulgidae family, within the order Caprimulgiformes. It is found across Central America & Caribbean and South America. Its distribution covers MA, SA widespread.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 75.9 g, with a wing length of about 18.5 cm and a tail of around 8.4 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 9 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Short-tailed Nighthawk?
The Short-tailed Nighthawk is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 75.9 g.
Where does the Short-tailed Nighthawk live?
The Short-tailed Nighthawk is found across Central America & Caribbean and South America with a range covering MA, SA widespread, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Short-tailed Nighthawk belong to?
The Short-tailed Nighthawk (Lurocalis semitorquatus) belongs to the Caprimulgidae family, in the order Caprimulgiformes.
What does the Short-tailed Nighthawk eat?
The Short-tailed Nighthawk is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Short-tailed Nighthawk migrate?
The Short-tailed Nighthawk is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Short-tailed 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 Short-tailed Nighthawk make?
1 real field recording of the Short-tailed Nighthawk — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Short-tailed Nighthawk's range?
The Short-tailed Nighthawk has a mapped global range of about 9 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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