Photo: Ben Tavener from Curitiba, Brazil / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Swallow-tailed Nightjar
Uropsalis segmentata
Swallow-tailed Nightjar (Uropsalis segmentata) — 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 Swallow-tailed Nightjar (Uropsalis segmentata) is a member of the Caprimulgidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 42.9 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 Uropsalis
- Species segmentata
Quick facts
- Weight
- 42.9 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Caprimulgidae
- Order
- Caprimulgiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Swallow-tailed Nightjar is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Swallow-tailed Nightjar is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Swallow-tailed Nightjar (Uropsalis segmentata) is a species of bird in the Caprimulgidae family, part of the order Caprimulgiformes. It occurs naturally across South America. Its distribution covers SA Colombia to c Bolivia.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 42.9 g, with a wing length of about 16.3 cm and a tail of around 34.4 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 222,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Swallow-tailed Nightjar?
The Swallow-tailed Nightjar is a small bird that weighs around 42.9 g.
Where does the Swallow-tailed Nightjar live?
The Swallow-tailed Nightjar is found across South America with a range covering SA Colombia to c Bolivia, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Swallow-tailed Nightjar belong to?
The Swallow-tailed Nightjar (Uropsalis segmentata) belongs to the Caprimulgidae family, in the order Caprimulgiformes.
What does the Swallow-tailed Nightjar eat?
The Swallow-tailed Nightjar is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Swallow-tailed Nightjar migrate?
The Swallow-tailed Nightjar is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Swallow-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 Swallow-tailed Nightjar make?
1 real field recording of the Swallow-tailed 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 Swallow-tailed Nightjar's range?
The Swallow-tailed Nightjar has a mapped global range of about 222,000 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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