The spot-tailed nightjar is a species of nightjar in the family Caprimulgidae. It is found in Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, and every mainland South American country except Chile and Uruguay.
Region
Central and South America
Typical Environment
Occurs from southern Mexico through parts of Central America (including Honduras and Nicaragua) and widely across mainland South America, absent only from Chile and Uruguay. Prefers open and semi-open habitats such as savannas, riverine sandbars, scrubby pastures, forest edges, and secondary growth. Often found near watercourses, on sandy or gravelly substrates, and along roads or clearings. Tolerates moderately disturbed landscapes and agricultural mosaics, provided there are open foraging spaces and sparse ground cover.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1800 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
A cryptic, ground-roosting nightjar, it relies on intricate mottled plumage and absolute stillness to avoid detection by day. It nests directly on bare ground, typically laying one or two eggs without building a true nest. Males often show conspicuous white patches in the tail during display flights at dusk. Its soft, repetitive trills and chup notes are most often heard on warm, calm nights.
Temperament
solitary and secretive
Flight Pattern
buoyant low flight with short, rapid wingbeats and brief glides
Social Behavior
Typically roosts alone on the ground by day, relying on camouflage. Breeds on open ground without a constructed nest, laying one or two eggs; adults may perform distraction displays when approached. Crepuscular and nocturnal, with males performing display flights and tail-flashing at dusk.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Vocalizations include soft trills, repeated chup or pik notes, and a gentle churring series, most active at dusk and during warm nights. Calls carry modest distances and often reveal birds otherwise invisible against the ground.
