Photo: Hector Bottai / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Plain-tailed Nighthawk
Nyctiprogne vielliardi
Plain-tailed Nighthawk (Nyctiprogne vielliardi) — Nightjars & Allies of South America.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Plain-tailed Nighthawk (Nyctiprogne vielliardi) is a member of the Caprimulgidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 41 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 Nyctiprogne
- Species vielliardi
Quick facts
- Weight
- 41 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Caprimulgidae
- Order
- Caprimulgiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Plain-tailed Nighthawk is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open woodland, it is highly aerial, spending much of its time on the wing.
Migration
The Plain-tailed Nighthawk is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Plain-tailed Nighthawk (Nyctiprogne vielliardi) is a species of bird in the Caprimulgidae family, part of the order Caprimulgiformes. Its range spans South America. Its distribution covers SA e Brazil.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 41 g, with a wing length of about 12.7 cm and a tail of around 8.6 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 23,000 km² — a relatively restricted global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Plain-tailed Nighthawk?
The Plain-tailed Nighthawk is a small bird that weighs around 41 g.
Where does the Plain-tailed Nighthawk live?
The Plain-tailed Nighthawk is found across South America with a range covering SA e Brazil, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Plain-tailed Nighthawk belong to?
The Plain-tailed Nighthawk (Nyctiprogne vielliardi) belongs to the Caprimulgidae family, in the order Caprimulgiformes.
What does the Plain-tailed Nighthawk eat?
The Plain-tailed Nighthawk is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Plain-tailed Nighthawk migrate?
The Plain-tailed Nighthawk is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Plain-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 Plain-tailed Nighthawk make?
1 real field recording of the Plain-tailed Nighthawk — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Plain-tailed Nighthawk's range?
The Plain-tailed Nighthawk has a mapped global range of about 23,000 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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