Bird species profile
Band-winged Nightjar
Systellura longirostris
- Order
- Caprimulgiformes
- Family
- Caprimulgidae
About the species
The Band-winged Nightjar is a nocturnal bird found across much of South America, including the open landscapes and scrublands of Patagonia. It is medium-sized, with mottled brown, gray, and buff plumage that provides excellent camouflage during the day when it rests on the ground. At dusk, it becomes active, flying low to catch insects on the wing. The species is named for the bold white bands on its wings, which are especially noticeable in flight. Its soft, repetitive calls are a familiar sound in Patagonian evenings. The Band-winged Nightjar is well-adapted to arid and semi-arid environments, and its cryptic coloration makes it difficult to spot unless it takes flight. It nests directly on the ground, laying eggs in shallow scrapes among stones or leaf litter.
Habitat
Open country, scrublands, rocky outcrops, and grasslands throughout Patagonia, often in arid or semi-arid regions.
Foraging
Feeds on flying insects, captured in flight during crepuscular and nocturnal hours.
