Photo: John Gould, HC Richter / Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
Sykes’s Nightjar
Caprimulgus mahrattensis
Sykes's Nightjar (Caprimulgus mahrattensis) — Nightjars & Allies of Europe & Northern Asia.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Sykes’s Nightjar (Caprimulgus mahrattensis) is a member of the Caprimulgidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 57 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 Caprimulgus
- Species mahrattensis
Where it lives
Southeastern Iran, southern Afghanistan, sub-Himalayan Pakistan and far western India
Quick facts
- Weight
- 57 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Caprimulgidae
- Order
- Caprimulgiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Sykes’s 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 is highly aerial, spending much of its time on the wing.
Migration
The Sykes’s Nightjar is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Sykes’s Nightjar (Caprimulgus mahrattensis) is a member of the Caprimulgidae family, within the order Caprimulgiformes. Its range spans Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL se Iran, s Afghanistan, sub-Himalayan Pakistan and far w India.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 57 g, with a wing length of about 16.9 cm and a tail of around 10.4 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 1.1 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Sykes’s Nightjar?
The Sykes’s Nightjar is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 57 g.
Where does the Sykes’s Nightjar live?
The Sykes’s Nightjar is found across Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL se Iran, s Afghanistan, sub-Himalayan Pakistan and far w India, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Sykes’s Nightjar belong to?
The Sykes’s Nightjar (Caprimulgus mahrattensis) belongs to the Caprimulgidae family, in the order Caprimulgiformes.
What does the Sykes’s Nightjar eat?
The Sykes’s Nightjar is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Sykes’s Nightjar migrate?
The Sykes’s Nightjar is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Sykes’s 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 Sykes’s Nightjar make?
1 real field recording of the Sykes’s Nightjar — including its flight call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Sykes’s Nightjar's range?
The Sykes’s Nightjar has a mapped global range of about 1.1 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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