Short-tailed Nighthawk

En bref

Nocturne
  • Scientific Name: Lurocalis semitorquatus
  • Spanish Name: Chotacabras colicorto
  • Family: Caprimulgidae
  • Known Nicknames: Short-tailed Nighthawk, Sooty Nighthawk
  • Average Length: 20–24 cm / 7.9–9.4 in
  • Average Weight: 70–95 g / 2.5–3.4 oz
  • Envergure : N/A
  • Key Feature: Very short tail, barely extending beyond the wingtips when perched
  • Régime alimentaire principal : Insectivore
  • Range: Central and South America, from southern Mexico to northern Argentina
  • Habitat: Lowland and montane forest edges, clearings, and riverbanks
  • Social Structure: Usually solitary or in pairs
  • Nesting/Breeding: Directly on the ground, without a nest
  • Statut de conservation : Préoccupation mineure (LC)
  • Évolution démographique : Stable

The Short-tailed Nighthawk (*Lurocalis semitorquatus*) is a master of twilight, a cryptic bird perfectly adapted to life on the wing. Unlike its longer-tailed relatives, this species is distinguished by a remarkably abbreviated tail that barely extends past its wingtips, giving it a stout, almost tailless silhouette in flight. Its general appearance is a study in camouflage: a mottled blend of dark browns, grays, and buffs, with a subtle, incomplete white collar (the "semitorquatus" of its name) that helps it vanish against tree bark or leaf litter during the day. A truly special feature is its enormous, gaping mouth, fringed with stiff bristles, which it uses like a net to scoop up moths, beetles, and other nocturnal insects during its swift, silent hunts over forest canopies and river edges.

Faits amusants

The short-tailed nighthawk is a master of camouflage, but its most bizarre adaptation is that it lacks a true rictal bristles—the stiff feathers around the mouth that most nightjars use to funnel insects—yet still expertly catches prey on the wing. Unlike many of its relatives that sing from perches, males perform a unique aerial display, diving steeply with their wings held in a deep V-shape to produce a loud, rushing “whoosh” sound. They are also one of the few nightjars that habitually roost on horizontal tree branches rather than on the ground, often sitting lengthwise along the limb so their mottled brown feathers perfectly mimic bark.

Habitats et répartition

The Short-tailed Nighthawk inhabits humid lowland forests, forest edges, and clearings, often near rivers or streams. It is strongly associated with mature, undisturbed rainforest but can also be found in secondary growth and partially logged areas. Its distribution spans from eastern Colombia, Venezuela, and the Guianas south through Ecuador, Peru, and most of Brazil, extending into northern Bolivia and eastern Paraguay. It occurs primarily in the Amazon Basin and the Atlantic Forest of Brazil, with isolated records in eastern Panama and northern Argentina.

Comportements & Reproduction

The Short-tailed Nighthawk is a solitary, crepuscular species with no permanent pair bond; males establish territories and attract females through aerial displays, which involve loud wing-claps and vocalizations during dusk. Mating occurs after a brief courtship, and the female lays a single egg directly on the forest floor, typically on a bed of dead leaves or a bare branch, with no nest structure. This is a unique reproductive strategy—the egg’s cryptically patterned shell blends perfectly with leaf litter, relying on camouflage rather than nest construction for protection. Both parents share incubation duties, with the male often covering the egg during the day while the female forages at night. After hatching, the chick is semi-precocial and remains motionless on the ground, relying on its own cryptic plumage and the parents’ distraction displays to avoid predators, with no further social structure beyond this single-brood unit.

Alimentation

The Short-tailed Nighthawk is an insectivorous bird that feeds exclusively on flying insects, which it captures during crepuscular and nocturnal foraging flights. Its diet consists primarily of beetles, moths, ants, termites, and various other flying invertebrates, often taken in continuous sallies from a perch or while hawking over forest clearings and rivers. An interesting fact about its feeding behavior is that, unlike many other nightjars, it rarely forages over open water but instead specializes in hunting along forest edges and near the canopy, where it uses its exceptionally wide gape to scoop up prey. Additionally, its diet may include a high proportion of hard-shelled beetles, which are crushed by its robust gizzard rather than by the beak.

Couleurs

The Short-tailed Nighthawk has cryptic, mottled brown and blackish upperparts with fine buff and white speckling, blending seamlessly with tree bark or leaf litter. Its underparts are paler, featuring warm cinnamon-brown barring and a distinctive white throat patch. Unique adaptations include a very short, rounded tail and a pattern of irregular, jagged markings on the wings and breast that break up its silhouette, providing exceptional camouflage against forest floor debris during daytime roosting.