# Eurasian Nightjar (*Caprimulgus europaeus*) The Eurasian Nightjar is a special bird that loves to hide during the day. It has beautiful brown feathers that help it blend in with the ground, making it hard to spot! - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Forests ![Eurasian Nightjar](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Caprimulgus_europaeus_g.JPG&width=800) Photo: P.Taszynski, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Caprimulgus_europaeus_g.JPG) ## Appearance The Eurasian Nightjar has superb camouflage, with mottled brown, grey, and black plumage resembling tree bark or dead leaves. It features a flat head, large eyes, and a small bill that opens into a remarkably wide gape. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Caprimulgiformes - **Family:** Caprimulgidae - **Genus:** Caprimulgus ## Interesting facts - Historically, people wrongly called them 'goatsuckers', believing they stole milk from goats! - They don't build nests, often laying their camouflaged eggs directly on the bare ground! - Unlike most birds, they sleep lengthwise along a branch, not across it, to enhance their camouflage! - When food is scarce or it gets cold, nightjars can go into a deep sleep called torpor, saving energy! ## Special abilities - **Camouflage Cloak:** Eurasian Nightjar has mottled plumage that helps them blend perfectly with tree bark and leaf litter, becoming almost invisible. - **Night Vision Goggles:** Eurasian Nightjar can hunt flying insects in low light because of their large eyes, giving them excellent nocturnal vision. - **Sonic Churr Call:** Eurasian Nightjar has a unique, continuous 'churring' song that helps them communicate and define territory in the dark. - **Insect Net Mouth:** Eurasian Nightjar can catch insects mid-flight because of their incredibly wide gape and stiff bristles around the beak. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 25-28 cm - **Wingspan:** 57-64 cm - **Weight:** 0.05-0.1 kg - **Lifespan:** 5-10 years - **Speed:** 60 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 1-2 - **Incubation:** 17-21 days - **Migration Distance:** 8000 km ## Diet & Feeding This bird is a skilled aerial hunter, snatching moths and beetles right out of the air at night! - **Primary Foods:** Moths, Beetles, Midges, Mosquitoes, Caddisflies - **Foraging Method:** Pursuit ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** Goshawk (*Accipiter gentilis*) — Goshawks sometimes prey on adult nightjars. - **Eaten by:** [Red Fox](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-fox) (*Vulpes vulpes*) — Foxes can snatch eggs, chicks, or adults from the ground. - **Hunts:** Gypsy Moth (*Lymantria dispar*) — Nightjars are important predators of various moth species. - **Hunts:** [Common Cockchafer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-cockchafer) (*Melolontha melolontha*) — They actively hunt flying beetles, including cockchafers. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care. - [Singing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/singing): Singing animals produce complex vocalizations, often for purposes of attracting mates, defending territory, or communicating within their species. - [Camouflaged](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/camouflaged): Camouflaged describes organisms that possess coloring or patterns that allow them to blend into their environment. - [Insectivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/insectivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Migratory](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/migratory): Migratory animals undertake seasonal movements from one region to another, typically in response to changes in climate or food availability. - [Nocturnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nocturnal): Nocturnal animals are primarily active during the nighttime hours, typically resting or sleeping during the day. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low If you see a bird, watch quietly from a distance and don't disturb its home. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Eurasian Nightjar? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Eurasian Nightjar? 25-28 cm ### What is Eurasian Nightjar's wingspan? 57-64 cm ### How much does Eurasian Nightjar weigh? 0.05-0.1 kg ### How long does Eurasian Nightjar live? 5-10 years ### How fast can Eurasian Nightjar move? 60 km/h ### What does Eurasian Nightjar eat? This bird is a skilled aerial hunter, snatching moths and beetles right out of the air at night! ### Where is Eurasian Nightjar usually found? Forests ## Where to spot - [Wendland.Elbe Nature Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/wendland-elbe-nature-park) — Niedersachsen, DE · Park - [Fontainebleau Forest Massif](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/fontainebleau-forest-massif) — Île-de-France, FR · Park - [Pinail National Nature Reserve](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/pinail-national-nature-reserve) — Nouvelle-Aquitaine, FR · Park [View all places to see Eurasian Nightjar](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/eurasian-nightjar) ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Eurasian Nightjar: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eurasian-nightjar)