The Andaman nightjar is a species of nightjar found in the Andaman Islands. It is sometimes considered a subspecies of the large-tailed nightjar, however the song and morphology are distinct.
Region
Andaman Islands, Bay of Bengal
Typical Environment
Occurs across forested islands from coastal scrub and mangroves to secondary woodland and forest edges. It favors open understorey, clearings, tracks, and plantation margins where it can forage at low level. It also uses village edges and lightly disturbed habitats at night. By day it roosts on the ground or low branches amid leaf litter, relying on camouflage.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 700 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
A cryptic, ground-nesting nightjar confined to India’s Andaman Islands, it is most readily detected by its distinctive nocturnal song. It has a wide, bristled gape for catching moths on the wing and often roosts motionless on leaf litter where it is nearly invisible. It has been treated as a subspecies of the large-tailed nightjar, but differences in voice and structure support its recognition as a separate species.
Temperament
solitary and cryptic
Flight Pattern
buoyant low flight with short rapid wingbeats and brief glides
Social Behavior
Typically solitary or in pairs during the breeding season. Nests directly on the ground with minimal lining, laying one or two eggs. Adults rely on camouflage and remain motionless when approached, flushing only at close range. Courtship includes song displays at dusk and low aerial chases.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A repetitive, carrying series of churring notes and metallic tuk-tuk phrases delivered at dusk and night. The rhythm and pitch differ from large-tailed nightjar, aiding identification in the field.
Plumage
Mottled and vermiculated brown, grey, and rufous with fine buff spotting and barring; very cryptic against leaf litter. Tail relatively long with barred pattern; males show contrasting pale corners. Throat shows a pale patch and there is often a faint buff collar.
Diet
Feeds mainly on flying insects such as moths, beetles, termites, and other night-flying arthropods. Takes prey on the wing using a wide gape and sensory bristles. Will also make short sallies from the ground or a low perch to intercept passing insects.
Preferred Environment
Forages along forest edges, roads, clearings, and over open patches within woodland and plantations. Frequently hunts along mangrove margins and village fringes where insects concentrate around lights.
