Nighthawks
Nighthawks are birds of the nightjar family in the New World subfamily Chordeilinae.
Nightjars are sometimes referred to as goatsuckers from the mistaken belief that they suck milk from goats (the Latin for goatsucker is Caprimulgus).
Description
They are medium-sized nocturnal birds with long wings, short legs and very short bills that usually nest on the ground and catch flying insects.
The Least Nighthawk, at 16 cm (6.3 inches) and 23 grams, is the smallest of all Caprimulgiformes.
Nighthawks have small feet, of little use for walking, and long pointed wings. Their soft plumage is cryptically coloured to resemble bark or leaves.
Some species, unusual for birds, perch along a branch, rather than across it. This helps to conceal them during the day.
Similar Species:
Nighthawks are similar in most respects to the nightjars of the Old World, but have shorter bills and less soft plumage. Nighthawks are less strictly nocturnal than many Old World nightjars, and may be seen hunting when there is still light in the sky
Nesting / Breeding
They lay two patterned eggs directly onto bare ground.
Diet / Feeding
They are mostly active in the late evening and early morning or at night, and feed predominantly on moths and other large flying insects..
Species
- Band-tailed Nighthawk, Nyctiprogne leucopyga : The Band-tailed Nighthawk (Nyctiprogne leucopyga) is a species of nightjar in the Caprimulgidae family. It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, and Venezuela. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, rivers, and swamps.
- Plain-tailed Nighthawk, Nyctiprogne vielliardi - formerly in Chordeiles : The Plain-tailed Nighthawk (Nyctiprogne vielliardi) is a species of nightjar in the Caprimulgidae family. It is endemic to Brazil. Its natural habitat is dry savanna. It is threatened by habitat loss.
- Nacunda Nighthawk, Podager nacunda : The Nacunda Nighthawk (Podager nacunda) is a species of nightjar in the Caprimulgidae family. It is monotypic (one single species) within the genus Podager. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, and Venezuela. Its natural habitats are dry savanna, subtropical or tropical seasonally wet or flooded lowland grassland, and heavily degraded former forest.
- Rufous-bellied Nighthawk Lurocalis rufiventris : The Rufous-bellied Nighthawk (Lurocalis rufiventris) is a species of nightjar in the Caprimulgidae family. It is found in Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montanes.
- Short-tailed Nighthawk, Lurocalis semitorquatus : The Short-tailed Nighthawk (Lurocalis semitorquatus) is a species of nightjar in the Caprimulgidae family. It is found in Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical swamps.
- Antillean Nighthawk, Chordeiles gundlachii
- Lesser Nighthawk, Chordeiles acutipennis
- Common Nighthawk, Chordeiles minor
- Least Nighthawk, Chordeiles pusillus : The Least Nighthawk (Chordeiles pusillus) is a species of nightjar in the Caprimulgidae family. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Guyana, and Venezuela. Its natural habitats are dry savanna and subtropical or tropical seasonally wet or flooded lowland grassland.
- Sand-colored Nighthawk, Chordeiles rupestris : The Sand-coloured Nighthawk (Chordeiles rupestris) is a species of nightjar in the Caprimulgidae family. It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist shrubland, rivers, and heavily degraded former forest.
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