Photo: Wikimedia Commons / Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
Scissor-tailed Nightjar
Hydropsalis torquata
Scissor-tailed Nightjar (Hydropsalis torquata) — Nightjars & Allies of South America.
Found across 6 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Scissor-tailed Nightjar (Hydropsalis torquata) is a member of the Caprimulgidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 58.5 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 Hydropsalis
- Species torquata
Quick facts
- Weight
- 58.5 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Caprimulgidae
- Order
- Caprimulgiformes
- Habitat
- Urban & human-modified
How to identify
Similar birds
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Scissor-tailed Nightjar is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of farmland, parks and gardens, it uses a wide range of foraging strategies.
Migration
The Scissor-tailed Nightjar is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Scissor-tailed Nightjar (Hydropsalis torquata) belongs to the Caprimulgidae family of the order Caprimulgiformes. It is found across South America. Its distribution covers SA Amazonia and s Peru to s Brazil and c Argentina.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 58.5 g, with a wing length of about 18.4 cm and a tail of around 33.7 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 7.9 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Scissor-tailed Nightjar?
The Scissor-tailed Nightjar is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 58.5 g.
Where does the Scissor-tailed Nightjar live?
The Scissor-tailed Nightjar is found across South America with a range covering SA Amazonia and s Peru to s Brazil and c Argentina, where it adapts readily to towns, parks and gardens.
What family does the Scissor-tailed Nightjar belong to?
The Scissor-tailed Nightjar (Hydropsalis torquata) belongs to the Caprimulgidae family, in the order Caprimulgiformes.
What does the Scissor-tailed Nightjar eat?
The Scissor-tailed Nightjar is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Scissor-tailed Nightjar migrate?
The Scissor-tailed Nightjar is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Scissor-tailed 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 Scissor-tailed Nightjar make?
1 real field recording of the Scissor-tailed Nightjar — including its alarm call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Scissor-tailed Nightjar's range?
The Scissor-tailed Nightjar has a mapped global range of about 7.9 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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