en/sustainability/biodiversity/animals/birds/scissor-tailed-nightjar/471

Biodiversity

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Scissor tailed nightjar
Hydropsalis torquata | Gmelin, 1789

Characterization: Species measuring about 40 cm. The tail is more than 2/3 of its total length; its long tail is scissor-shaped.

Distribution: This species occurs from the south of the Amazon to Bolivia, Paraguay, Argentina, and Uruguay, including throughout eastern and southern Brazil.

Habitat: It lives in the edge of the woods, savannas, dirty fields, and parks.

Habits: A nocturnal bird, it perches on twigs or other substrates. It makes various noises with its wings.

Diet: Insectivores, this species takes off from the ground and uses the clarity of the night sky to hunt and land again on the ground. It is a great moth eater.

Breeding: Nests are built straight on the ground. It lays two eggs. The couple takes turns hatching them.

In the UFRA area: This bird species was not spotted frequently and is considered rare, because it was only seen 3 times. This bird's most frequent occurrence was native forests and organic sugarcane fields.