The sand-colored nighthawk is a species of nightjar in the family Caprimulgidae. It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela.
Region
Amazon Basin and western Orinoco
Typical Environment
Occurs along major lowland rivers and their large sandbars in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela. It favors wide sandy beaches, river islands, and gravel bars with sparse or no vegetation. By day it rests directly on open sand, relying on camouflage. It forages primarily over open water and along river margins. Forest interior is generally avoided except near river edges.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 800 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
This nighthawk is superbly camouflaged, its sandy, mottled plumage blending almost perfectly with river sandbars where it roosts and nests. It often forms loose daytime groups on exposed beaches and sandbanks. At dusk it flies low over broad tropical rivers to catch swarming insects, sometimes skimming the water. Eggs are laid directly on bare sand without a constructed nest.
Temperament
crepuscular and calm, highly camouflaged
Flight Pattern
buoyant with quick, shallow wingbeats and glides, often low over water
Social Behavior
Frequently roosts communally on open sandbars, aligning with the substrate for concealment. Nests are simple scrapes on bare sand, typically with one to two eggs. Pairs defend a small area around the nest but tolerate nearby conspecifics at roost sites.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Gives soft churring trills and repeated kip or tchik notes, especially at dusk. Wingbeats may produce faint whirring as it forages over water. Vocalizations are less piercing than some other nighthawks and often delivered in short series.
Plumage
Sandy-brown to buff-grey overall with fine mottling and wavy barring that matches river sand and gravel. Underparts lightly barred; wings long and pointed with contrasting pale patches visible in flight.
Diet
Feeds on flying insects such as beetles, moths, caddisflies, flying ants, and termites. Captures prey on the wing using a wide gape and sensory bristles. Often exploits evening insect emergences over rivers. May drink on the wing by skimming the water surface.
Preferred Environment
Forages over broad open rivers, above sandbars, and along river edges where insect activity is concentrated. Rarely ventures far into closed-canopy forest, preferring open airspace.
