The swamp nightjar or Natal nightjar is a crepuscular and nocturnal bird in the nightjar family found in Africa.
Region
Eastern and southern Africa
Typical Environment
The swamp nightjar occurs from coastal and lowland regions of Tanzania south through Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Eswatini, and eastern South Africa. It favors moist savannas, marshy grasslands, floodplains, and edges of wetlands, often with scattered bushes or woodland. It also uses open clearings and tracks in coastal forest mosaics. By day it roosts on leaf litter or bare ground where its mottled plumage provides excellent concealment. Local seasonal movements may occur following rainfall and insect abundance.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1800 m
Climate Zone
Subtropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Also called the Natal nightjar, this crepuscular and nocturnal species is superbly camouflaged, spending daylight hours motionless on the ground or low branches. It hawks insects in low, buoyant flights over open areas near wetlands and damp grasslands. Males show small white patches in the wings and tail used in display. Its soft churring song carries at dusk and on moonlit nights.
Temperament
solitary and territorial
Flight Pattern
buoyant with short, rapid wingbeats and brief glides
Social Behavior
Typically seen singly or in pairs, most active at dusk and night. Nests are simple scrapes on the ground where 1–2 eggs are laid without added nesting material. Both parents rely on camouflage and distraction displays to protect the nest. Courtship includes soft calls and fluttering display flights by the male.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A soft, rhythmic churr delivered repeatedly at dusk and on moonlit nights. Also gives quiet chup and tik notes during foraging and interaction.
Plumage
Finely mottled grey-brown and buff with rufous and black barring, producing a cryptic, leaf-litter effect.
Diet
Primarily aerial insects such as moths, beetles, termites, and flying ants. It forages by sallying from the ground or a low perch, or by coursing low over open ground. Prey is taken with a wide, bristled gape that helps funnel insects into the mouth. Activity and diet often peak following rains when emergent insects are abundant.
Preferred Environment
Edges of wetlands, damp grasslands, floodplains, and open glades near woodland. Frequently hunts along tracks, firebreaks, and over short vegetation where insects are concentrated.
