Sand-coloured nighthawk facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sand-coloured nighthawk |
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| In Ucayali Region, Peru | |
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| Scientific classification | |
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Chordeiles
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| Species: |
rupestris
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The sand-colored nighthawk (Chordeiles rupestris) is a special type of nightjar bird. It belongs to the Caprimulgidae family. You can find this bird in several South American countries. These include Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela.
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How Scientists Group Them
Scientists group animals to understand them better. For the sand-colored nighthawk, most scientists agree there are two main types, called subspecies. These are Chordeiles rupestris rupestris and C. r. xylostictus. However, some experts think it's better to consider it as just one main type of bird.
What It Looks Like
The sand-colored nighthawk is about 20.5 to 22 cm (8.1 to 8.7 in) long. Its back and top parts are a light grayish-brown color. They have darker brown streaks, lines, and spots.
Its chin and throat are white or a creamy white. The chest is grayish-white with a hint of cinnamon and brown spots. Its belly is white, with brown spots on the upper part. The underside of its wings is mostly white too.
Where It Lives
The main type of sand-colored nighthawk lives in the northwestern part of the Amazonia region. You can find it in southeastern Colombia, southwestern Venezuela, northeastern Peru, and northwestern Brazil. It also lives along rivers in eastern Ecuador, Peru, northern Bolivia, and western Brazil.
The other type, C. r. xylostictus, is only found in Colombia's Cundinamarca Department. These birds like to live near rivers, including old river bends and grassy open areas like airstrips. They usually stay in places below 500 m (1,600 ft) in height.
Daily Life and Habits
The sand-colored nighthawk is active at dusk and during the night. During the day, it rests on river islands and sandbars. Often, many of them rest together. If the water is high, they will rest in trees that hang over the water.
What It Eats
This nighthawk hunts for food very actively when the sun goes down. It also hunts on and off throughout the night. We don't know all the details of its diet, but it eats only insects. Its flight is smoother than other nightjars, almost like a tern's flight.
Reproduction
Sand-colored nighthawks lay eggs from May to August in southeastern Peru. In central Brazil, they lay eggs from June to September. We don't know their breeding season for other areas.
They nest in groups, often close to other birds like the yellow-billed tern and black skimmer. They lay two eggs in a small dip they make in the sand on a sandbar.
Sounds It Makes
The sand-colored nighthawk doesn't seem to sing very often. When it does, it sings from the ground. Its song is a "gurgling purr" mixed with quiet throat-clearing sounds and loud "grawh" notes. It also makes other sounds when it chases another bird or protects its nest.
Its Status in Nature
The IUCN (a group that checks on animals) says the sand-colored nighthawk is of "Least Concern." This means it's not in immediate danger. It lives in a very large area. Even though its numbers are going down a little, they are not dropping fast enough to be a big worry right now. Scientists haven't found any major threats to this bird.
