Long-trained nightjar

Long-trained nightjar
male at Tremembé, São Paulo state, Brazil
female at Tremembé, São Paulo state, Brazil
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1) [1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Clade:	Strisores
Order:	Caprimulgiformes
Family:	Caprimulgidae
Genus:	Hydropsalis
Species:	H. forcipata
Binomial name
Hydropsalis forcipata (Nitzsch, 1840)
Synonyms
Macropsalis creagra(Bonaparte, 1850) Macropsalis forcipata

The long-trained nightjar (Hydropsalis forcipata) is a species of nightjar in the family Caprimulgidae. It is found in Argentina and Brazil. ^[2]

Taxonomy and systematics

Some authors have contended that the binomial Macropsalis creagra bestowed by Bonaparte in 1850 is correct, but consensus now is that the specific epithet forcipata has priority. ^{[3] [4]}

The long-trained nightjar was formerly the only species placed in the genus Macropsalis. Based on the results of a 2023 molecular genetic study by Thiago Costa and collaborators, the species is now placed with three other species in the genus Hydropsalis that was introduced in 1832 by Johann Georg Wagler. ^{[5] [6]} The species is monotypic: no subspecies are recognised. ^[6]

Description

The male long-trained nightjar has extremely long outer tail feathers from which the species gets its name. It is 28 to 31 cm (11 to 12 in) long excluding those feathers, which are 48 to 68 cm (19 to 27 in) long. Both sex's upperparts are brown with spots and bars of grayish brown, tawny, buff, and cinnamon. The wings are similarly colored, with none of the white that others in family Caprimulgidae have. They have a broad tawny or tawny buff collar on the hindneck and a faint tawny patch on the throat. The breast is brown with tawny and buff bars and scallops, the belly and flanks buff with brown bars. The males elongated tail feathers have a broad white edge; the female's tail is darker and much shorter. ^[3]

Distribution and habitat

The long-trained nightjar is found in southeastern Brazil from Minas Gerais and Espírito Santo south to Rio Grande do Sul and into Argentina's far northeasternmost province, Misiones. ^[3] It has been recorded as a vagrant in Paraguay. ^[7] It inhabits the interior and edges of primary and secondary forest and woodland. In elevation it ranges from sea level to 1,800 m (5,900 ft), and higher in the north than the south. ^[3]

Behavior

Feeding

The long-trained nightjar has been recorded foraging by sallies from the ground, by hawking prey in flight, and by taking prey from leaves in flight. Its diet has not been detailed but is assumed to be insects. ^[3]

Breeding

The long-trained nightjar is thought to breed between November and January in most of its range. Males make a courtship display on the ground by raising their tail in a conspicuous white "V". Eggs are laid on the ground on leaf litter without a conventional nest; the site is often shaded by a bush. The female does most of the incubation. ^[3]

Songs and calls Listen to long-trained nightjar on xeno-canto

Vocalization

Both sexes of long-trained nightjar make "a repetitive, high-pitched 'tsip, tsip, tsip, tsip' call." ^[3]

Status

The IUCN originally assessed the long-trained nightjar as Threatened but since 2004 has rated it as being of Least Concern. ^[1] It is variously rare, locally common, and common in different parts of its range. ^[3]

References

1. BirdLife International (2024). "Long-trained Nightjar Macropsalis forcipata". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2024. Retrieved 3 December 2024.
2. Gill, F.; Donsker, D.; Rasmussen, P. (August 2024). "IOC World Bird List (v 14.2)" . Retrieved August 19, 2024.
3. Cleere, N. and E. de Juana (2020). Long-trained Nightjar (Macropsalis forcipata), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.lotnig2.01 retrieved October 11, 2021
4. Pacheco, J.P.; Whitney, B.M.; Pioli, D. (2002). "Additional notes on Caprimulgus forcipatus Nitzch, 1840 (= Macropsalis forcipata)". Arajuba. 10 (2): 272–273.
5. Costa, T.V.V.; van Els, P.; Braun, M.J.; Whitney, B.M.; Cleere, N.; Sigurosson, S.; Silveira, L.F. (2023). "Systematic revision and generic classification of a clade of New World nightjars (Caprimulgidae), with descriptions of new genera from South America". Avian Systematics. 1 (6): 55–99.
6. AviList Core Team (2025). "AviList: The Global Avian Checklist, v2025". doi: 10.2173/avilist.v2025 . Retrieved 10 November 2025.
7. Remsen, J. V., Jr., J. I. Areta, E. Bonaccorso, S. Claramunt, G. Del-Rio, A. Jaramillo, D. F. Lane, M. B. Robbins, F. G. Stiles, and K. J. Zimmer. Version 18 November 2024. Species Lists of Birds for South American Countries and Territories. https://www.museum.lsu.edu/~Remsen/SACCCountryLists.htm retrieved November 26, 2024