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Goatsuckers

10 Bird Species

Antillean Nighthawk

Fairly small nighthawk. Long, dark wings with white bar halfway between wingtip, and bend in wing. Notched tail finely barred with dark tip. Brownish-black upperparts with light brown flecks. Darkest on back and crown. Warm brown face. White throat. Underparts buffy golden-brown with fine dark barrin more...

Length: 21 cm Wingspan: 53 cm

Buff-collared Nightjar

This little nightjar is slightly smaller and shorter-tailed than the similar Whip-poor-will. The bird gets its name from the buffy collar that completely surrounds the neck. On males, the front portion of the collar is white. Plumage is grayish overall, with black, brown, and buff barring and spottin more...

Length: 22 cm Wingspan: 38 cm

Chuck-will's-widow

A long-winged, large-headed, nocturnal bird of the Southeast. Adult is cryptically plumaged when perched, with gray-and-rufous wings spotted with black, primaries barred black and rufous, barred tail extending past wings, gray back with black streaks, buffy underparts with faint barring, short neck, more...

Length: 31 cm Wingspan: 66 cm

Common Nighthawk

A slender, long-winged, partly nocturnal bird, widespread across North America. Adult is cryptically plumaged when perched, with long black primaries extending past tail, white wing spot underneath shoulder, softly-patterned upperparts marbled and spotted with brown and black tones, buffy or whitish more...

Length: 24 cm Wingspan: 61 cm

Common Pauraque

A slender, long-tailed, nocturnal resident of South Texas. All ages are cryptically-plumaged, mostly earthy gray-brown with subtle buff and black interior mottling on most feathers and larger terminal buff and black markings on scapulars and coverts. When perched, typically on the ground in dried lea more...

Length: 28 cm Wingspan: 61 cm

Common Poorwill

This compact, nocturnal bird is the smallest and shortest-tailed of the North American nightjars. Adult is cryptically plumaged when perched, gray overall, with rufous-barred primaries, short tail even with wingtips, short neck, large head, dark ear patch, white throat, large black eye, and short, bl more...

Length: 20 cm Wingspan: 43 cm

Eastern Whip-poor-will

Like other nightjars, the Whip-poor-will is cryptically plumaged to blend in with leaf litter and the bark of tree branches where this bird roosts during the day. At rest, the tail extends well beyond the wing tips. Most adults appear grayish overall, with extensive barring and spotting in buff, brow more...

Length: 22 cm Wingspan: 41 cm

Gray Nightjar

Large gray, brown and black nightjar, very similar to North American Common Nighthawk. Patterned to blend in easily with surroundings. Dark eye. Tiny gray bill. Long wingtips and tail. Tiny feet. Adult Male: Gray head with brown face. White submoustachial stripe and white throat. Upperparts gray ove more...

Length: 28 cm Wingspan: 55 cm

Lesser Nighthawk

Very similar to the widespread Common Nighthawk, Lesser Nighthawk shows subtle differences in shape, color, and the position of the white primary bar. The easiest distinction between the two species is voice. Upperparts are gray-brown, mottled with buff, brown, and black. Underparts are gray, turning more...

Length: 20 cm Wingspan: 51 cm

Mexican Whip-poor-will

Cryptic gray and brown plumage like other goatsuckers. Brown face with large dark eye. Dark throat contrasts with thick white "necklace". Gray brace on the back. In flight, male shows obvious white corners to the tail. Long rounded wings. Extremely similar to Eastern Whip-poor Will, probably indisti more...

Length: 25 cm Wingspan: 48 cm