Ladder-tailed Nightjar
Encyclopedia
The Ladder-tailed Nightjar (Hydropsalis climacocerca) is a species of bird
in the Caprimulgidae family, the nightjar
s. It is one of two species in the genus, Hydropsalis
.
It is found in the Amazon Basin of Brazil
with the Guianas, Guyana
, Suriname
, French Guiana
, and also Amazonian Colombia
, Ecuador
, Peru
and Bolivia
; it is also in Venezuela
.
Its natural habitat
s are subtropical or tropical moist shrubland
, river
s, and freshwater lake
s.
This bird is highly camouflage
d and has the colors of 'ground cover', as do most of the nightjars. The colors are broken with white patches, grays, both dark, and light, and some brown, especially around the neck and head. Many of the nightjar species also have the distraction display, which helps lead unwary predators farther distances from the nest
, young, or eggs.
As a species that hunts airborne insect
s, etc. at night, its large eyes are noteworthy; a large wide mouth also goes along with this feeding strategy.
, and in the northeast the Guiana Shield and the Guianan countries; its range does not extend east of the Amazon River
outlet, (the island: Ilha de Marajo). At this same outlet, in the region of the Xingu River
confluence, the range extends southward and is in the lower two-thirds of the drainage of this north-flowing river.
In the west the species range is adjacent to the Andes
foothills. In the north, the range extends into southeastern Venezuela, and only the upper third of the Caribbean north-flowing Orinoco River drainage, the area of the eastern Orinoco River Basin and uplands bordering western Guyana.
In the very headwaters of the southern Amazon Basin, the upstream half of the river drainages, both in the southeast and southwest, the range overlaps with its sister Hydropsalis species, the Scissor-tailed Nightjar
, which ranges into southeast Brazil through the caatinga
, cerrado
, and pantanal
south into Argentina
. The two species cover all of South America
east of the Andes cordillera from central Argentina to the Caribbean
coast; the exception is a small region centered southeast of the Amazon Basin in the vicinity of Maranhão
state Brazil.
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
in the Caprimulgidae family, the nightjar
Nightjar
Nightjars are medium-sized nocturnal or crepuscular birds with long wings, short legs and very short bills. They are sometimes referred to as goatsuckers from the mistaken belief that they suck milk from goats . Some New World species are named as nighthawks...
s. It is one of two species in the genus, Hydropsalis
Hydropsalis
Hydropsalis is a genus of nightjar in the Caprimulgidae family.It contains the following species:* Ladder-tailed Nightjar * Scissor-tailed Nightjar...
.
It is found in the Amazon Basin of Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
with the Guianas, Guyana
Guyana
Guyana , officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, previously the colony of British Guiana, is a sovereign state on the northern coast of South America that is culturally part of the Anglophone Caribbean. Guyana was a former colony of the Dutch and of the British...
, Suriname
Suriname
Suriname , officially the Republic of Suriname , is a country in northern South America. It borders French Guiana to the east, Guyana to the west, Brazil to the south, and on the north by the Atlantic Ocean. Suriname was a former colony of the British and of the Dutch, and was previously known as...
, French Guiana
French Guiana
French Guiana is an overseas region of France, consisting of a single overseas department located on the northern Atlantic coast of South America. It has borders with two nations, Brazil to the east and south, and Suriname to the west...
, and also Amazonian Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
, Ecuador
Ecuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
, Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
and Bolivia
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
; it is also in Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
.
Its natural habitat
Habitat
* Habitat , a place where a species lives and grows*Human habitat, a place where humans live, work or play** Space habitat, a space station intended as a permanent settlement...
s are subtropical or tropical moist shrubland
Shrubland
Shrubland, scrubland, scrub or brush is a plant community characterized by vegetation dominated by shrubs, often also including grasses, herbs, and geophytes. Shrubland may either occur naturally or be the result of human activity...
, river
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
s, and freshwater lake
Lake
A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...
s.
This bird is highly camouflage
Camouflage
Camouflage is a method of concealment that allows an otherwise visible animal, military vehicle, or other object to remain unnoticed, by blending with its environment. Examples include a leopard's spotted coat, the battledress of a modern soldier and a leaf-mimic butterfly...
d and has the colors of 'ground cover', as do most of the nightjars. The colors are broken with white patches, grays, both dark, and light, and some brown, especially around the neck and head. Many of the nightjar species also have the distraction display, which helps lead unwary predators farther distances from the nest
Bird nest
A bird nest is the spot in which a bird lays and incubates its eggs and raises its young. Although the term popularly refers to a specific structure made by the bird itself—such as the grassy cup nest of the American Robin or Eurasian Blackbird, or the elaborately woven hanging nest of the...
, young, or eggs.
As a species that hunts airborne insect
Insect
Insects are a class of living creatures within the arthropods that have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body , three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes, and two antennae...
s, etc. at night, its large eyes are noteworthy; a large wide mouth also goes along with this feeding strategy.
Amazon Basin, Guianas and upper Orinoco River Basin
The Ladder-tailed Nightjar is found in all regions of the Amazon BasinAmazon Basin
The Amazon Basin is the part of South America drained by the Amazon River and its tributaries that drains an area of about , or roughly 40 percent of South America. The basin is located in the countries of Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, and Venezuela...
, and in the northeast the Guiana Shield and the Guianan countries; its range does not extend east of the Amazon River
Amazon River
The Amazon of South America is the second longest river in the world and by far the largest by waterflow with an average discharge greater than the next seven largest rivers combined...
outlet, (the island: Ilha de Marajo). At this same outlet, in the region of the Xingu River
Xingu River
The Xingu River , also called Rio Xingu, is a 1,230-mile long, river in north Brazil; it is a southeast tributary of the Amazon River.-Description and history:...
confluence, the range extends southward and is in the lower two-thirds of the drainage of this north-flowing river.
In the west the species range is adjacent to the Andes
Andes
The Andes is the world's longest continental mountain range. It is a continual range of highlands along the western coast of South America. This range is about long, about to wide , and of an average height of about .Along its length, the Andes is split into several ranges, which are separated...
foothills. In the north, the range extends into southeastern Venezuela, and only the upper third of the Caribbean north-flowing Orinoco River drainage, the area of the eastern Orinoco River Basin and uplands bordering western Guyana.
In the very headwaters of the southern Amazon Basin, the upstream half of the river drainages, both in the southeast and southwest, the range overlaps with its sister Hydropsalis species, the Scissor-tailed Nightjar
Scissor-tailed Nightjar
The Scissor-tailed Nightjar is a species of nightjar in the Caprimulgidae family.It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, and Uruguay....
, which ranges into southeast Brazil through the caatinga
Caatinga
Caatinga is a type of vegetation, and an ecoregion characterized by this vegetation in the northeastern part of Brazil. The name "Caatinga" is a Tupi word meaning "white forest" or "white vegetation"...
, cerrado
Cerrado
The Cerrado, is a vast tropical savanna ecoregion of Brazil, particularly in the states of Gioas and Minas Gerais...
, and pantanal
Pantanal
The Pantanal is a tropical wetland and one of the world's largest wetland of any kind. Most of it lies within the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso do Sul, but it extends into Mato Grosso and portions of Bolivia and Paraguay, sprawling over an area estimated at between and...
south into Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
. The two species cover all of South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
east of the Andes cordillera from central Argentina to the Caribbean
Caribbean Sea
The Caribbean Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean located in the tropics of the Western hemisphere. It is bounded by Mexico and Central America to the west and southwest, to the north by the Greater Antilles, and to the east by the Lesser Antilles....
coast; the exception is a small region centered southeast of the Amazon Basin in the vicinity of Maranhão
Maranhão
Maranhão is a northeastern state of Brazil. To the north lies the Atlantic Ocean. Maranhão is neighbored by the states of Piauí, Tocantins and Pará. The people of Maranhão have a distinctive accent...
state Brazil.
External links
- Ladder-tailed Nightjar photo gallery VIREO Photo-High Res-(Close-up)
- Photo-High Res; Article pbase.com
- Photo-High Res-(Night photo: Spot-lighted eyes); Article ib.usp.br—"Caprimulgidae"
