Setopagis heterura
Todd's Nightjar (*Setopagis heterura*) is a small, cryptically plumaged nocturnal bird, typically measuring 19-21 cm (7.5-8.3 inches) in length and weighing 30-40 grams. Its plumage is a masterful blend of mottled browns, greys, and buffs, providing exceptional camouflage against leaf litter or tree bark. Distinctive field marks include a pale nuchal collar and a narrow, often buffy, throat band. Males are further identified by white patches on their outer primary feathers and white tips on t...
Found in open woodlands, savannas, dry scrublands, and clearings, typically at low to mid-elevations below 600 meters. Often associated with areas near water bodies or gallery forests.
Primarily feeds on nocturnal flying insects, including moths, beetles, and other arthropods, caught on the wing during crepuscular and nocturnal forays.
Strictly nocturnal and crepuscular, Todd's Nightjar becomes active at dusk, foraging until dawn, and spending daylight hours perfectly camouflaged, roosting motionless on the ground or a low branch. It is an aerial insectivore, employing a sit-and-wait strategy from a low perch or the ground, the...
Todd's Nightjar is a resident species primarily distributed across northern South America, showing little evidence of significant migratory movements. Its breeding range encompasses eastern Colombia, particularly the Llanos region, extending eastward through north-central and eastern Venezuela. F...
Least Concern
- Named after the distinguished American ornithologist Walter Edmond Clyde Todd, who described many bird species. - Its camouflage is so effective that it can be nearly impossible to spot during the day, even when you know it's there. - Unlike many birds, it lays its eggs directly on the ground, ...