Introduction
The Long-tailed Nightjar (Caprimulgus climacurus) is a nocturnal member of the nightjar family, Caprimulgidae. It occurs across much of sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in open and semi-open habitats. Like other nightjars, it is most active from dusk through the night and is adapted for detecting and catching flying insects in low light.
Physical Description
The Long-tailed Nightjar is a slim, long-winged bird with cryptically patterned plumage in shades of brown, grey, buff and rufous. Its mottled upperparts blend with dry soil, leaf litter and vegetation, while the graduated tail gives the species its common name.
The male generally shows more conspicuous white markings on the outer tail feathers and wings than the female. These markings can be important during display and are visible when the bird fans or spreads its tail. Females are usually duller, with less extensive white. Juveniles resemble adults but are generally softer and less strongly marked.
The short bill is surrounded by stiff bristles, and the broad gape is characteristic of nightjars. The long wings support agile, nearly silent flight, while the short legs are suited mainly to perching and walking short distances on the ground.
Range and Habitat
The species has a broad distribution across northern, western, central and eastern Africa. Its range extends from Senegal, The Gambia and Mauritania eastwards through the Sahel to Sudan, Ethiopia and Uganda, with additional populations or records southwards through parts of the Congo Basin, Angola and Tanzania. Distribution varies among recognised geographical forms, and some populations undertake seasonal movements within Africa.
The Long-tailed Nightjar is associated mainly with savanna, open woodland, dry scrub, grassland, semi-arid country and forest clearings. It may also use cultivated land, rice fields, dirt tracks, roadsides and other open areas where flying insects are abundant. In The Gambia, recent research recorded the species foraging along tracks and in rice-growing landscapes.
It is generally a lowland or lower-elevation bird, although the precise elevational range differs across its distribution. It is not endemic to a single country or habitat type.
Behaviour and Diet
The Long-tailed Nightjar is mainly crepuscular and nocturnal. It often becomes active at dusk, then hunts from low perches, tracks or open ground. Individuals may sit on roads and paths between short flights, a behaviour that makes them vulnerable to vehicle collisions.
Its diet consists primarily of flying insects, especially moths and other night-flying insects. Beetles and orthopterans such as grasshoppers may also be taken, including occasionally from the ground. The broad mouth and sensitive bristles around the bill help the bird seize prey during rapid aerial sallies.
The species is usually encountered singly or in small numbers, although several birds may gather where insect abundance is high. Males advertise with distinctive, repeated vocalisations and may use aerial movements and tail displays during courtship or territorial interactions. The song is better described as a rapid, sustained churring or buzzing sequence than as a series of melodious whistles.
Breeding timing varies geographically and is often associated with seasonal rains or periods of increased insect availability. No nest is built. Usually two eggs are laid directly on bare ground, sand, leaf litter or another lightly covered surface. The eggs are cryptically coloured and patterned, helping them blend with the surrounding substrate.
Identification Tips
Look for the following combination of features:
- A medium-sized, brown-mottled nightjar with long, pointed wings.
- A distinctly graduated, elongated tail, especially noticeable in flight or when perched.
- Cryptic plumage that makes the bird difficult to detect by day.
- White markings on the outer tail and wings, usually more prominent in males.
- Activity at dusk or during the night, often along open tracks, roads and clearings.
- A rapid, sustained churring call rather than a simple whistle.
The Long-tailed Nightjar can occur alongside the Standard-winged Nightjar (Caprimulgus longipennis) and other African nightjars. Tail shape, the pattern and extent of white in the wings and tail, habitat, and vocalisations should be considered together. Identification from a brief view is difficult, so a recording or repeated observation is often useful.
Conservation Status
The Long-tailed Nightjar is currently assessed as Least Concern. Its very broad distribution and use of a range of open habitats mean that it is not presently considered globally threatened. However, detailed information on population size and long-term population trends remains limited.
Potential local threats include habitat conversion, intensive agricultural practices, declines in nocturnal insect prey, pesticide use and disturbance or mortality associated with roads. Nightjars commonly use roads and tracks for resting or foraging at night, increasing the risk of collisions with vehicles.
Conservation measures should include maintaining a network of savanna, woodland and grassland habitats, retaining open areas within agricultural landscapes, reducing unnecessary pesticide use and improving awareness of nightjar road mortality. More systematic monitoring is also needed to clarify population trends and seasonal movements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does the Long-tailed Nightjar live?
It occurs across much of sub-Saharan Africa, from western Africa through the Sahel and central Africa to Ethiopia, Uganda and parts of eastern and southern Africa.
What habitat does the Long-tailed Nightjar prefer?
It favours open and semi-open habitats, including savanna, dry scrub, open woodland, grassland, forest clearings, cultivated land, rice fields and dirt tracks.
What does the Long-tailed Nightjar eat?
It feeds mainly on flying insects, particularly moths. Beetles, grasshoppers and other terrestrial insects may also be taken.
Is the Long-tailed Nightjar nocturnal?
Yes. It is primarily active from dusk through the night, although it may occasionally be seen resting on the ground or on a low perch during daylight.
Does the Long-tailed Nightjar build a nest?
No. The female usually lays two cryptically patterned eggs directly on bare ground, sand, leaf litter or another naturally open surface.
How can the Long-tailed Nightjar be identified?
Key features include mottled brown plumage, long pointed wings, a strongly graduated tail, white markings on the wings and outer tail, and a rapid churring call heard at night.
References
- BirdLife International. n.d. Long-tailed Nightjar (Caprimulgus climacurus) species factsheet. BirdLife Data Zone. Accessed 8 September 2026. https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/long-tailed-nightjar-caprimulgus-climacurus
- Cleere, N. 2020. Long-tailed Nightjar (Caprimulgus climacurus), version 1.0. In Birds of the World, edited by J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie and E. de Juana. Cornell Lab of Ornithology. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.lotnig1.01
- García-Carrasco, J.-M., Barlow, C. R. and Camacho, C. 2025. Microhabitat Segregation of Co-Existing Nightjar Species in The Gambia. Ecology and Evolution 15(6): e71656. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.71656
- Gill, F., Donsker, D. and Rasmussen, P., eds. 2026. IOC World Bird List, version 15.2. International Ornithologists’ Union. Accessed 8 September 2026. https://www.worldbirdnames.org/
- Jackson, H. D. and Slotow, R. 2002. A review of Afrotropical nightjar mortality, mainly road kills. Ostrich 73(3–4): 147–153. https://doi.org/10.1080/00306525.2002.11446745
- Jackson, H. D. 2003. A field survey to investigate why nightjars frequent roads at night. Ostrich 74(1–2): 97–101. https://doi.org/10.2989/00306520309485374
- Tobias, J. A., Sheard, C., Pigot, A. L., De Vere, N., Yang, J., Sayol, F., Neate-Clegg, M. H. C., Alioravainen, N., Weeks, T. L., Barber, R. A., Walkden, P., MacGregor, H. E. A., Jones, S. E. I., Vincent, C., Kennedy, J. D., Guralnick, R., Bosc, V., Bonnet, P., Foden, W., O’Brien, S. P., Araujo, M. B., Wheatley, H., Varela, S., Ovaskainen, O., MacLean, I. M. D., and others. 2022. AVONET: morphological, ecological and geographical data for all birds. Ecology Letters 25(3): 581–597. https://doi.org/10.1111/ele.13898
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