Nightjar Bird Facts | Caprimulgus Europaeus

How to identify

Nightjars are nocturnal birds and can be seen hunting for food at dusk and dawn. With pointed wings and long tails, their shape is similar to a Kestrel or Cuckoo. Their grey-brown, mottled, streaked and stripey plumage provides ideal camouflage in the daytime. They have an almost supernatural reputation thanks to their silent flight and their mythical ability to steal milk from goats. The first indication that a Nightjar is near is usually the male's churring song, rising and falling.