The Hispaniolan nightjar is a nightjar species endemic to the Caribbean island of Hispaniola, which is shared by the Dominican Republic and Haiti.
Region
Greater Antilles (Hispaniola)
Typical Environment
Occurs across suitable habitats on the island of Hispaniola, including dry scrub, open and semi-deciduous woodland, pine and mixed forests, and second-growth edges. It favors areas with open understory, tracks, and clearings where it can forage for aerial insects. Ground cover with leaf litter is important for roosting and nesting. It can persist in lightly disturbed habitats and plantations, provided there are nearby open flyways. Riparian corridors and the margins of agricultural fields are also used at night.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1500 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
The Hispaniolan nightjar is a nocturnal insect-eater that relies on superb camouflage, roosting and nesting directly on leaf litter. Males display white tail and wing patches that flash during courtship flights at dusk. Habitat loss from deforestation and human disturbance can affect local populations, as ground nests are vulnerable. Its name honors botanist Erik Leonard Ekman, who collected extensively on Hispaniola.
Temperament
secretive and crepuscular-nocturnal
Flight Pattern
buoyant, moth-like flight with short rapid wingbeats and brief glides low over the ground
Social Behavior
Mostly solitary or in pairs during the breeding season. Nests on the ground without a constructed nest, typically laying a single egg on leaf litter. Adults rely on camouflage and distraction displays to protect the nest. Outside breeding, individuals may use favored roosts repeatedly.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A repetitive series of clear, whistled notes and trills delivered at dusk and pre-dawn, sometimes interspersed with soft churrs. Males often sing from perches or on the wing, with phrases carrying far in still night air.
Plumage
Cryptic, finely mottled and barred with browns, grays, and buff, providing excellent leaf-litter camouflage. Males show contrasting white patches in the wings and outer tail; females lack or have reduced white and appear warmer buff. Soft, loose-textured plumage with delicate streaking on crown and back.
Diet
Feeds primarily on flying insects such as moths, beetles, flying ants, termites, and other nocturnal arthropods. Captures prey on the wing using a wide gape and bristled mouth edges. Occasionally sallies from a low perch along edges and tracks. Foraging often focuses on insect-rich corridors like forest margins and near lights.
Preferred Environment
Open woodland edges, scrubby clearings, trails, and along roads where aerial insects concentrate. Also hunts above low vegetation in semi-open forest and near watercourses where emergent insects are abundant.
