Photo: Hector Bottai / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Ocellated Poorwill
Nyctiphrynus ocellatus
Ocellated Poorwill (Nyctiphrynus ocellatus) — Nightjars & Allies of Central America & Caribbean.
Found across 12 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Ocellated Poorwill (Nyctiphrynus ocellatus) is a member of the Caprimulgidae family found in Central America & Caribbean and South America. Adults weigh 39.6 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 Nyctiphrynus
- Species ocellatus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 39.6 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Caprimulgidae
- Order
- Caprimulgiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Ocellated Poorwill is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Ocellated Poorwill is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Ocellated Poorwill (Nyctiphrynus ocellatus) is a species of bird in the Caprimulgidae family, part of the order Caprimulgiformes. It occurs naturally across Central America & Caribbean and South America. Its distribution covers MA, SA widespread.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 39.6 g, with a wing length of about 12.5 cm and a tail of around 11.2 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 3.4 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Ocellated Poorwill?
The Ocellated Poorwill is a small bird that weighs around 39.6 g.
Where does the Ocellated Poorwill live?
The Ocellated Poorwill 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 Ocellated Poorwill belong to?
The Ocellated Poorwill (Nyctiphrynus ocellatus) belongs to the Caprimulgidae family, in the order Caprimulgiformes.
What does the Ocellated Poorwill eat?
The Ocellated Poorwill is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Ocellated Poorwill migrate?
The Ocellated Poorwill is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Ocellated Poorwill 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 Ocellated Poorwill make?
1 real field recording of the Ocellated Poorwill — 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 Ocellated Poorwill's range?
The Ocellated Poorwill has a mapped global range of about 3.4 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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