Nightjar
This nocturnal bird can be seen hawking for food at dusk & dawn. Most numerous in southern England, with good numbers found in the New Forest, Dorset, Surrey heathlands & Thetford forest in Suffolk. Also found in parts of Wales, northern England, and south west Scotland.
They arrive in UK April – May time and leave around August/September time.
Identification
- Male
- Medium sized bird with long wings & tail thats heavily mottled and barred in browns, buff and greys creating excellent camouflage.The male has white patches on the wing and tail.
- Female
- As male but without the white wing & tail patches.
- Size
- 25 - 28cms
- Bill
- Black, short & thin
- Legs
- Buff; short
- Habitat
- Heaths, forests & woods
- Behaviour
- Takes off & lands on vegetation or the ground
- Flocking
- Solitary
- Flight
- Glides, flitting
- Voice
- Distinctive churring
Breeding & Feeding
- Nest
- Bare hollow
- Eggs
- 2; white, spotting light brown
- Incubation Period
- 18 days
- Broods
- 2; May - July
- Food
- Insects
- UK Breeding Pairs
- 3,000
