Eleothreptus candicans
The White-winged Nightjar, *Eleothreptus candicans*, is a medium-sized, highly distinctive member of the Caprimulgidae family, known for its extreme sexual dimorphism. Males are approximately 19-21 cm long, weighing around 40-50g, and boast a striking plumage with extensive white on the underparts, tail, and flight feathers, especially the primaries, contrasting with mottled grey-brown upperparts. This dramatic white, particularly visible in flight, gives them a ghostly appearance and is a ke...
Found exclusively in dry, open grasslands such as 'campos sujos' and 'cerrado' savannas, often with scattered shrubs and trees, usually on sandy or gravelly soils at elevations typically below 600 meters.
Primarily insectivorous, feeding on large nocturnal insects such as moths and beetles, captured during aerial hawking flights.
This is a strictly nocturnal and crepuscular species, typically roosting inconspicuously on the ground during the day, where its cryptic plumage (especially the female's) provides excellent camouflage. Foraging occurs during the night, with individuals sallying from low perches or the ground to c...
The White-winged Nightjar has an extremely disjunct and fragmented distribution across South America, primarily within the cerrado and campo grasslands. Core populations are found in central and eastern Paraguay (Amambay and San Pedro Departments) and south-central Brazil (especially Mato Grosso ...
Endangered
- Often referred to as the "Ghost Bird" due to the male's striking white plumage, especially visible against the night sky. - It was presumed extinct for 80 years, between 1914 and its rediscovery in 1990, making it a conservation success story and a 'Lazarus species. - The White-winged Nightjar ...