Nyctiprogne leucopyga
The Band-tailed Nighthawk (Nyctiprogne leucopyga) is a distinctive nocturnal caprimulgid, renowned for its striking white rump band, a key field mark that sets it apart from other nighthawks. Averaging 20-22 cm (7.9-8.7 in) in length and weighing around 36-42 g (1.3-1.5 oz), this slender, long-winged bird exhibits cryptic grey-brown plumage, finely barred and mottled to blend seamlessly with its roosting environment. Beyond the conspicuous white rump and undertail coverts, it also features a ...
This species primarily inhabits open woodlands, savannas, and riverine forests, strongly associating with large rivers, lagoons, and swamps. It typically occurs in lowlands, up to 500 meters (1,640 ft) in elevation.
Its diet consists almost exclusively of flying insects, including moths, beetles, and mosquitoes, captured expertly on the wing during its nocturnal foraging flights.
The Band-tailed Nighthawk is primarily crepuscular and nocturnal, spending its days roosting cryptically on horizontal tree branches or logs, often near water. It forages by making agile, sustained flights over water bodies or clearings, hawking for insects with an open gape. Territorial behavior...
The Band-tailed Nighthawk is a widespread resident throughout much of northern and central South America, primarily in the Amazon and Orinoco basins. Its breeding range encompasses Venezuela, Colombia, the Guianas (Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana), extensive parts of Brazil, eastern Bolivia, and ...
Least Concern
- The Band-tailed Nighthawk's scientific name 'leucopyga' literally means 'white rump' in Greek, perfectly describing its most distinctive field mark. - It is one of the few nighthawk species to possess such a prominent white band across its rump and uppertail coverts. - Unlike many birds, it lay...