Photo: John Gerrard Keulemans / Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
Yucatan Poorwill
Nyctiphrynus yucatanicus
Yucatan Poorwill (Nyctiphrynus yucatanicus) — Nightjars & Allies of Central America & Caribbean.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Yucatan Poorwill (Nyctiphrynus yucatanicus) is a member of the Caprimulgidae family found in Central America & Caribbean. Adults weigh 24.5 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 Nyctiphrynus
- Species yucatanicus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 24.5 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Caprimulgidae
- Order
- Caprimulgiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Yucatan Poorwill 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 spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Yucatan Poorwill is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Yucatan Poorwill (Nyctiphrynus yucatanicus) is a member of the Caprimulgidae family, within the order Caprimulgiformes. It is found across Central America & Caribbean. Its distribution covers MA Yucatán Pen.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 24.5 g, with a wing length of about 10.9 cm and a tail of around 10 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 146,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Yucatan Poorwill?
The Yucatan Poorwill is a small bird that weighs around 24.5 g.
Where does the Yucatan Poorwill live?
The Yucatan Poorwill is found across Central America & Caribbean with a range covering MA Yucatán Pen, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Yucatan Poorwill belong to?
The Yucatan Poorwill (Nyctiphrynus yucatanicus) belongs to the Caprimulgidae family, in the order Caprimulgiformes.
What does the Yucatan Poorwill eat?
The Yucatan Poorwill is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Yucatan Poorwill migrate?
The Yucatan Poorwill is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Yucatan Poorwill 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 Yucatan Poorwill make?
1 real field recording of the Yucatan Poorwill — 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 Yucatan Poorwill's range?
The Yucatan Poorwill has a mapped global range of about 146,000 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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