Photo: Alejandro Bayer Tamayo from Armenia, Colombia / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Band-winged Nightjar
Systellura longirostris
Band-winged Nightjar (Systellura longirostris) — Nightjars & Allies of South America.
Found across 10 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Band-winged Nightjar (Systellura longirostris) is a member of the Caprimulgidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 45.6 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 Systellura
- Species longirostris
Quick facts
- Weight
- 45.6 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Caprimulgidae
- Order
- Caprimulgiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Band-winged Nightjar is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open scrub and shrubland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Band-winged Nightjar is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Band-winged Nightjar (Systellura longirostris) is a member of the Caprimulgidae family, within the order Caprimulgiformes. It occurs naturally across South America. Its distribution covers SA n, w, s, se.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 45.6 g, with a wing length of about 15.8 cm and a tail of around 11.7 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 4.2 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Band-winged Nightjar?
The Band-winged Nightjar is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 45.6 g.
Where does the Band-winged Nightjar live?
The Band-winged Nightjar is found across South America with a range covering SA n, w, s, se, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Band-winged Nightjar belong to?
The Band-winged Nightjar (Systellura longirostris) belongs to the Caprimulgidae family, in the order Caprimulgiformes.
What does the Band-winged Nightjar eat?
The Band-winged Nightjar is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Band-winged Nightjar migrate?
The Band-winged Nightjar is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Band-winged Nightjar 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 Band-winged Nightjar make?
1 real field recording of the Band-winged Nightjar — 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 Band-winged Nightjar's range?
The Band-winged Nightjar has a mapped global range of about 4.2 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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