Little Nightjar

Identification

The little nightjar is a small member of the nightjar family, measuring just 19 to 21 cm in length and weighing between 25 and 46.5 grams—making it a genuinely diminutive species. Males are generally grayish brown with buff, brown, and blackish-brown spots and streaks throughout their plumage. They feature a broad but indistinct buff collar on the hindneck, a buffy chin, and a distinctive white throat. A characteristic broad white band crosses each wing, and the outer tail feathers display white tips. Females are similar in overall appearance but lack the white wing and tail markings, and their throat is buff rather than white, making them slightly more subtle in the field.

Range & Habitat

This species is found across much of central and eastern South America, occurring in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay. Its range extends from eastern Peru across Bolivia and central and northeastern Brazil to the Atlantic coast, then southward through southern Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay to central Argentina. In the southern portions of its range and possibly Peru, the little nightjar is believed to be migratory, shifting north and east during the austral winter months.

The little nightjar favors brushy savanna, open woodland, and forest interiors and edges. It readily adapts to plantations of non-native Eucalyptus trees. Elevationally, the species occurs from sea level in eastern regions up to approximately 1,500 meters in Bolivia, demonstrating considerable vertical range flexibility.

Behaviour & Diet

As a strictly nocturnal species, the little nightjar becomes active after dark, foraging for insects by sallying from the ground or low perches and possibly during continuous flight, as is typical of many nightjars. While a detailed dietary breakdown is lacking, insects from at least five different orders have been documented in its diet.

Breeding activity occurs variably across the species' range between August and January. The little nightjar lays a clutch of two eggs directly on the ground, with both parents sharing incubation duties. The species produces a distinctive vocalization described as "a rattling, clacking, flat, unbirdlike sound" with a pattern of hurr-ee followed by rapid repeated quick notes—an unmistakable call for nocturnal identification.

Best Time & Places to See It

Since the little nightjar is nocturnal, your best opportunities come during night-time birding excursions. In the northern parts of its range (Peru and central Brazil), the species may be present year-round, while in the southern portions (southern Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, and Uruguay), birds are best sought during the austral summer months from August to January when breeding birds are present and vocal. Listen for its distinctive rattling call from brushy savannas, open woodlands, and Eucalyptus plantations.

Photography Tips

Photographing this species presents significant challenges due to its small size, nocturnal habits, and cryptic coloration. Night-capable camera equipment with high ISO capability and fast lenses are essential. Focus on capturing the male's distinctive field marks—the white throat, white wing band, and white tail tips—which are diagnostic and absent in females. Ground-level positioning may be necessary given the species' habit of foraging from the ground or low perches. Recording its distinctive rattling call can complement photographic documentation of this cryptic species.