Long-trained Nightjar
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Quick Facts
- Scientific Name: Macropsalis forcipata
- Spanish Name: Chotacabras colilargo
- Family: Caprimulgidae
- Known Nicknames: Sickle-winged Nightjar, Long-trained Nightjar
- Average Length: Male: 25–28 cm (10–11 in) plus 50–60 cm (20–24 in) tail streamers; Female: 25–28 cm (10–11 in)
- Average Weight: 55–75 g (1.9–2.6 oz)
- Wingspan: 50–60 cm (20–24 in)
- Key Feature: Extremely long, forked tail streamers in males
- Primary Diet: Insectivore
- Range: Southeastern Brazil, eastern Paraguay, and northeastern Argentina
- Habitat: Humid Atlantic Forest, forest edges, and clearings
- Social Structure: Solitary
- Nesting/Breeding: Ground scrape under vegetation
- Conservation Status: Near Threatened (NT)
- Population Trend: Decreasing
The Long-trained Nightjar (*Macropsalis forcipata*) is a master of nocturnal camouflage, endemic to the Atlantic Forest of South America. Its most extraordinary feature is the male's elongated, scissor-like outer tail feathers, which can extend up to 50 centimeters—more than twice the length of its body—creating a dramatic forked silhouette as it glides silently through the dusk. In general appearance, it is a cryptically patterned bird, mottled in rich browns, blacks, and buffs that perfectly mimic dead leaves and bark, with a relatively flat head and a wide, gaping mouth adapted for catching moths and beetles in flight. A special adaptation includes specialized rictal bristles around the beak that act like a net to funnel prey, while its soft, owl-like plumage allows for near-soundless flight, making it a ghostly and elusive inhabitant of the forest understory.
Fun Facts
The Long-trained Nightjar’s name comes from the male’s absurdly elongated outer tail feathers—up to 60 centimeters long, or four times its body length—which it uses in a bizarre courtship display: it flies in slow, deliberate circles like a pendulum, dragging these streamers through the air to create a faint whistling sound. Unlike most nightjars, which are strictly nocturnal, this species is often active in deep twilight and even on overcast days, and it has a peculiar habit of “sun-bathing” by spreading its wings and tail flat on the forest floor to warm up after cold nights. Its camouflage is so extreme that it can disappear against leaf litter even when its eyes are open, and if threatened, it will freeze in a pose with its bill pointed skyward, resembling a broken branch.
Habitats & Distribution
The Long-trained Nightjar is endemic to the Atlantic Forest of southeastern Brazil, with its primary distribution concentrated in the coastal mountain ranges of the states of Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Paraná, Santa Catarina, and Rio Grande do Sul. Its habitat is closely tied to humid, montane forests, typically occurring at elevations between 500 and 1,500 meters. Within this region, it favors the interior of dense primary forest, especially along rocky streams and near clearings or forest edges, where it roosts on the ground among leaf litter. It is also occasionally found in adjacent secondary growth and shaded coffee plantations, though it avoids heavily deforested or urbanized areas. The species’ range is relatively narrow and fragmented due to habitat loss, making it sensitive to forest degradation.
Behaviours & Reproduction
The Long-trained Nightjar is predominantly solitary outside of the breeding season, with no permanent pair bonds. Males establish temporary display territories, where they perform a distinctive aerial courtship ritual at dusk. The male flies in a slow, exaggerated flapping pattern with his elongated outer tail feathers streaming behind, sometimes producing a mechanical whirring sound. If a female approaches, he lands and fans his tail while flicking his wings, often presenting his white wing patches. Copulation is brief and occurs on the ground. The female alone incubates a single egg laid directly on leaf litter, relying on cryptic plumage for camouflage. She does not build a nest; instead, the egg is placed in a shallow scrape. The male does not participate in incubation or chick-rearing, but may remain in the vicinity of the territory. The chick is precocial and leaves the nest within days, following the female to feeding sites. This species exhibits no cooperative breeding or extended social groups.
Diet
The Long-trained Nightjar is an exclusively insectivorous bird, feeding primarily on a wide variety of nocturnal flying insects captured in mid-air during its aerial foraging sorties. Its diet consists heavily of moths, beetles, and flying ants, which it snatches with its wide, gaping mouth lined with bristles that act as a net. An interesting fact about its feeding strategy is that it often hunts from a perch on a branch or a road, sallying out in short, agile flights to grab prey and returning to the same spot, a behavior known as "hawking." Additionally, the male's extraordinarily long tail feathers, which can exceed twice its body length, do not hinder its hunting efficiency; instead, the bird uses its exceptional maneuverability to pursue insects in dense forest understory or along clearings, and it may even follow swarms of termites or ants during their nuptial flights, gorging itself on the abundant protein source.
Colors
The Long-trained Nightjar (Macropsalis forcipata) has cryptic, mottled plumage that blends seamlessly with leaf litter, primarily dark brown, black, and buff with fine vermiculations and pale spots. Males feature uniquely elongated, white-tipped outer tail feathers that stream behind them in flight. Its coloration provides exceptional camouflage against forest floors, with no bright or contrasting body markings.
Distribution Map
Places linked to this species. A sighting is never guaranteed.
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Featured places
- Late Afternoon Forest Walk & First Bird Photography
- Night Walk in Search of Owls, Nightjars & Forest Life
- A Second Night in the Forest
- Final Morning Birding Before Departure
- Intervales Carmo Road Birding
- Optional Intervales Night Birding and Owl Search
- Night walk for owls and nightjars
- Forest trails and bamboo specialists
Tours where this species is featured
