Hydropsalis climacocerca
The Ladder-tailed Nightjar (Hydropsalis climacocerca) is a captivating medium-sized nightjar, instantly recognizable by the male's extraordinarily long, graduated, and intricately patterned tail, which can reach up to 30 cm (12 inches) beyond its 20-28 cm (8-11 inch) body, making it one of the longest tails relative to body size among birds. Its overall plumage is a masterclass in cryptic camouflage, featuring mottled browns, grays, and buffs, streaked and vermiculated to blend seamlessly wit...
Found in lowland tropical and subtropical forests, specifically along large rivers, on sandbars, river islands, and at forest edges adjacent to water bodies, typically below 500 meters elevation.
Feeds exclusively on nocturnal flying insects, such as moths, beetles, and mosquitoes, captured during aerial hawking flights over water and open areas.
This nightjar is primarily crepuscular and nocturnal, spending its days roosting cryptically on the ground, sandbars, or low branches, its plumage providing superb camouflage. It is an aerial insectivore, performing graceful hawking flights over rivers, open sandbars, and clearings to capture mot...
The Ladder-tailed Nightjar is a resident species distributed widely throughout the Amazon and Orinoco basins of South America. Its extensive range includes parts of Colombia, Venezuela, the Guianas (Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana), Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, and Brazil. It is predominantly found in...
Least Concern
- The male's tail can be twice the length of its body, making it one of the longest tails relative to body size among all bird species. - It is sometimes colloquially referred to as the 'River Nightjar' due to its strong and consistent association with large Amazonian river systems. - Its intrica...