Photo: Hector Bottai / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Sickle-winged Nightjar
Eleothreptus anomalus
Sickle-winged Nightjar (Eleothreptus anomalus) — Nightjars & Allies of South America.
Found across 4 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Sickle-winged Nightjar (Eleothreptus anomalus) is a member of the Caprimulgidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 43.7 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Vulnerable.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Facing a high risk of extinction in the wild.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Caprimulgiformes
- Family Caprimulgidae Nightjars
- Genus Eleothreptus
- Species anomalus
Where it lives
Southeastern Brazil; southeastern Paraguay to central Argentina and Uruguay
Quick facts
- Weight
- 43.7 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Caprimulgidae
- Order
- Caprimulgiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Vulnerable
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Sickle-winged Nightjar 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 Sickle-winged Nightjar is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Sickle-winged Nightjar (Eleothreptus anomalus) belongs to the Caprimulgidae family of the order Caprimulgiformes. It occurs naturally across South America. Its distribution covers SA se Brazil; se Paraguay to c Argentina and Uruguay.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 43.7 g, with a wing length of about 12.9 cm and a tail of around 7.2 cm.
It is classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List and is a focus of conservation concern. Vulnerable species face a high risk of extinction in the wild if pressures continue.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 2.2 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Sickle-winged Nightjar?
The Sickle-winged Nightjar is a small bird that weighs around 43.7 g.
Where does the Sickle-winged Nightjar live?
The Sickle-winged Nightjar is found across South America with a range covering SA se Brazil; se Paraguay to c Argentina and Uruguay, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Sickle-winged Nightjar belong to?
The Sickle-winged Nightjar (Eleothreptus anomalus) belongs to the Caprimulgidae family, in the order Caprimulgiformes.
What does the Sickle-winged Nightjar eat?
The Sickle-winged Nightjar is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Sickle-winged Nightjar migrate?
The Sickle-winged Nightjar is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Sickle-winged Nightjar endangered?
It is classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List and is a focus of conservation concern Vulnerable species face a high risk of extinction in the wild if pressures continue.
What sound does the Sickle-winged Nightjar make?
1 real field recording of the Sickle-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 Sickle-winged Nightjar's range?
The Sickle-winged Nightjar has a mapped global range of about 2.2 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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