Yucatan Nightjar

Overview

The Yucatan nightjar (Antrostomus badius) is a species of nightjar in the family Caprimulgidae. It is a year-round resident of Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula and a nonbreeding visitor to parts of Belize, Honduras, and Guatemala. The IUCN assesses its status as Least Concern.

Identification

• Length 24–25.5 cm; males weigh up to 65.5 g and females 51.2–64.3 g.
• Upperparts are grayish brown with blackish brown spots and grayish white speckles on the crown, and buff and cinnamon speckles with broad blackish brown streaks on the back.
• Features a broad tawny or buff collar on the nape and neck sides, and a tail with brown feathers bearing faint tawny bars and white or buff tips on the outer feathers.
• Song is a loud, clear 'puc ree-u-reeeu' or 'pc weeu wee-weeeu', sung from a hidden perch in a bush or tree.

Habitat

It inhabits scrub, brushy woodland, and forest edges. The species is a year-round resident in Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula and Cozumel, with nonbreeding movements to Belize, northwestern Honduras, and northern Guatemala.

Diet

The Yucatan nightjar is nocturnal and feeds on flying insects. It forages by sallying from a perch and possibly also from the ground.

Did you know?

Despite being a nocturnal predator, this bird lays its two-egg clutch directly on the ground with no nest, a trait common among nightjars.