Nightjars are medium-sized nocturnal or crepuscular birds in the family Caprimulgidae and order Caprimulgiformes, characterised by long wings, short legs, and very short bills. They are sometimes called goatsuckers, due to the ancient folk tale that they sucked the milk from goats, or bugeaters, their primary source of food being insects. Some New World species are called nighthawks. The English word "nightjar" originally referred to the European nightjar.
The Sulawesi nightjar is a species of nightjar in the family Caprimulgidae. It is endemic to Indonesia, where it occurs on Sulawesi and the Sula Islands. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical mangrove forests.
Bonaparte's nightjar, also known as the Sunda nightjar, is a species of nightjar in the family Caprimulgidae. It is native to the islands of Sumatra, Belitung and Borneo. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.
The square-tailed nightjar is a species of nightjar in the family Caprimulgidae which is native to tropical and subtropical woodlands of the Afrotropics. It has an extensive range south of the African equator. Despite not having a completely "square tail", its naming highlights a distinguishing field mark. The similarly plumaged slender-tailed nightjar, found in dry bush country of the tropics, differs namely by its protruding central tail feathers. It is alternatively known as the Gabon nightjar or Gaboon nightjar or the Mozambique nightjar.
The large-tailed nightjar is a species of nightjar in the family Caprimulgidae. It is found along the southern Himalayan foothills, eastern South Asia, Southeast Asia and northern Australia. This species is a resident of the countries of Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste and Vietnam. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest, subtropical or tropical mangrove forest, and subtropical or tropical moist montane forest.
The Madagascar nightjar or Madagascan nightjar is a species of nightjar in the family Caprimulgidae. It is native to Madagascar, Nosy Boraha and Aldabra. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest and subtropical or tropical moist montane forest.
The Philippine nightjar is a species of nightjar in the family Caprimulgidae. It is endemic to the Philippines. Its local names are kandarapa (Tagalog) and tagolilong (Cebuano).
Salvadori's nightjar is a species of nightjar in the family Caprimulgidae. It is endemic to Indonesia, where it is found in Sumatra and Java.
The silky-tailed nightjar is a species of nightjar birds in the family Caprimulgidae. It is found in Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Peru. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.
The Nechisar nightjar is a species of nightjar in the family Caprimulgidae. It is endemic to Ethiopia.
Archbold's nightjar, also known as the mountain eared-nightjar or cloud-forest nightjar, is a species of nightjar in the family Caprimulgidae. It is found in the highlands of New Guinea. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. It is named after American explorer Richard Archbold.
The great eared nightjar is a species of nightjar in the family Caprimulgidae. It is found in southwest India and in parts of Southeast Asia. This very large nightjar has long barred wings, a barred tail and long ear-tufts which are often recumbent. It has a white throat band but has no white on its wings or on its tail.
The Papuan nightjar or Papuan eared-nightjar is a species of nightjar in the family Caprimulgidae. It is found in New Guinea. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical mangrove forests.
The Malaysian eared nightjar or Malay eared nightjar is a species of nightjar in the family Caprimulgidae. It is found in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.
The ladder-tailed nightjar is a species of bird in the family Caprimulgidae, the nightjars. It is one of two species in the genus, Hydropsalis.
The band-tailed nighthawk is a species of nightjar in the family Caprimulgidae. It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, and Venezuela. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest, rivers, and swamps. They are most vocal during the night time, indicating that they are nocturnal birds. When they sing it has a very similar pitch to a frog's ribbit. This is most common during breeding season, which occurs from July until October. Band-tailed nighthawks have an interesting reproductive strategy. Instead of building traditional nests, they lay their eggs directly on the ground, typically in concealed locations within their forested habitats. This adaptation may help reduce the chances of nest predation.
The nacunda nighthawk is a species of nightjar in the family Caprimulgidae. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, and Venezuela. Its natural habitats are dry savanna, subtropical or tropical seasonally wet or flooded lowland grassland, and heavily degraded former forest.
The mountain owlet-nightjar is a species of bird in the family Aegothelidae. It is found in the highlands of New Guinea. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests.
The Moluccan owlet-nightjar, also known as the long-whiskered owlet-nightjar, is a species of bird in the family Aegothelidae. It is endemic to the northern Moluccas.
The Solomons nightjar is a species of nightjar in the family Caprimulgidae. It is found in the Solomon Islands archipelago. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry forests. It avoids human activity, and is nocturnal.
