Lurocalis rufiventris
The Rufous-bellied Nighthawk, *Lurocalis rufiventris*, is a medium-sized and strikingly patterned member of the Caprimulgidae family, endemic to the montane forests of the Andes. Measuring approximately 24-27 cm in length and weighing 80-100 grams, its cryptic dark brown and black upperparts are intricately mottled and streaked, providing superb camouflage against tree bark. Its most distinctive field mark, and the origin of its name, is the rich, contrasting rufous to cinnamon coloration of ...
Found primarily in subtropical and tropical montane cloud forests, forest edges, and clearings. It inhabits elevations typically ranging from 1,000 to 3,000 meters above sea level.
Feeds almost exclusively on flying insects, including moths, beetles, and cicadas, caught during swift, acrobatic aerial hawking flights.
Strictly crepuscular and nocturnal, the Rufous-bellied Nighthawk spends its days roosting motionless, camouflaged on thick tree branches, often lengthwise to blend with a broken stub. Its foraging strategy involves agile aerial hawking; it makes rapid, erratic flights high above the canopy or alo...
The Rufous-bellied Nighthawk is resident throughout the Andes Mountains of South America. Its extensive breeding and resident range stretches from western Venezuela (Táchira, Mérida, and Trujillo states) and Colombia (across all three Andean ranges and the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta), south thr...
Least Concern
- Its scientific name, *rufiventris*, directly translates to 'rufous-bellied,' perfectly describing its most striking feature. - Unlike many nighthawks that prefer open habitats, the Rufous-bellied Nighthawk is specifically adapted to agile flight within and above montane cloud forests. - They ar...