Photo: Hector Bottai / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Blackish Nightjar
Nyctipolus nigrescens
Blackish Nightjar (Nyctipolus nigrescens) — 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 Blackish Nightjar (Nyctipolus nigrescens) is a member of the Caprimulgidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 35.7 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 Nyctipolus
- Species nigrescens
Quick facts
- Weight
- 35.7 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 Blackish Nightjar is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of rocky terrain, it is highly aerial, spending much of its time on the wing.
Migration
The Blackish Nightjar is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Blackish Nightjar (Nyctipolus nigrescens) belongs to the Caprimulgidae family of the order Caprimulgiformes. It occurs naturally across South America. Its distribution covers SA Amazonia.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 35.7 g, with a wing length of about 13.8 cm and a tail of around 9.5 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 4.1 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Blackish Nightjar?
The Blackish Nightjar is a small bird that weighs around 35.7 g.
Where does the Blackish Nightjar live?
The Blackish Nightjar is found across South America with a range covering SA Amazonia, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Blackish Nightjar belong to?
The Blackish Nightjar (Nyctipolus nigrescens) belongs to the Caprimulgidae family, in the order Caprimulgiformes.
What does the Blackish Nightjar eat?
The Blackish Nightjar is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Blackish Nightjar migrate?
The Blackish Nightjar is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Blackish 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 Blackish Nightjar make?
1 real field recording of the Blackish Nightjar — 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 Blackish Nightjar's range?
The Blackish Nightjar has a mapped global range of about 4.1 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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