Uropsalis segmentata
The Swallow-tailed Nightjar (*Uropsalis segmentata*) is a captivating nocturnal bird, easily identified by the male's extraordinarily elongated, deeply forked tail. Males can reach an impressive length of 79-81 cm, with the tail alone contributing up to 48 cm, while females are much smaller at 25-26 cm with a tail of 11-13 cm. Both sexes weigh approximately 45-50 grams. Their cryptic plumage is a mosaic of mottled browns, grays, and rufous, providing excellent camouflage against forest litter...
Found in humid montane cloud forests, humid evergreen forests, and their edges, often near clearings and along overgrown roadsides, typically at elevations between 1,800 to 3,500 meters.
Primarily insectivorous, feeding on a wide range of nocturnal flying insects such as moths, beetles, and other arthropods, which they catch mid-air during sustained aerial pursuits.
Strictly nocturnal and crepuscular, the Swallow-tailed Nightjar spends its days roosting on the forest floor, hidden among leaf litter, or perched lengthwise on a low branch, relying on its superb camouflage. It forages by making aerial sallies from a perch, hawking insects in flight, exhibiting ...
The Swallow-tailed Nightjar is endemic to the Andes Mountains of South America, with a disjunct distribution across several countries. Its breeding range extends from central Colombia, through Ecuador, and into northern Peru for the subspecies *U. s. segmentata*. A separate population, recognized...
Least Concern
- The male Swallow-tailed Nightjar possesses one of the longest tails relative to its body size among all bird species, extending up to 48 cm. - Despite its impressive tail, the male’s body weight is only about 50 grams, highlighting the extreme lightness of its tail feathers. - This nightjar is ...