Order Caprimulgiformes / Nightjars, Frogmouths, & Oilbirds

All of the birds in the order share several features:

• As the name suggests, nightjars and their relatives are usually active at twilight or night.
• Caprimugiformes have large heads with large eyes.
• The bills of these birds can open very wide-this feature is called wide gape.
• The birds in the order are mainly nocturnal, so they have a simple coloring. The feathers are usually black, brown, grey, and sometimes brownish-yellow or red.
• Some species may also have patterns on their bodies.
• Most of the birds in the order are relatively small, from 6 to 16 inches, and are also of low weight.
• The wings and tails of Caprimulgiformes birds are long.
• Another prominent feature of this order is the presence of a serrated claw on the middle toe. The serration often resembles the teeth of a comb.
• These birds mainly feed on insects; some catch them in the air, while others find them in the ground.
• The nesting habits vary from species to species. While some birds do not make any nest whatsoever, others build a nest on trees on a nest in caves.
• Both parents feed the chicks that develop for approximately 20 days.
• These birds are known for their well-developed voices; their sounds can often be heard at night and are sometimes subject to legend.
• The birds of this order can be found around the world, except in some islands and Antarctica.

Here are some typical representatives of this order:

• Oilbird, Steatornis caripensis
• Wallace’s owlet-nightjar, Aegotheles wallacii
• Mountain owlet-nightjar, Aegotheles albertisi
• Tawny frogmouth, Podargus strigoides
• Gould’s frogmouth, Batrachostomus stellatus
• Solomon’s frogmouth, Rigidipenna inexpectata
• Rufus potoo, Nyctibius bracteatus
• Andean Potoo, Nyctibius maculosus
• Common nightjar, Caprimulgus europaeus
• Pennant-winged nightjar, Semeiophorus vexillarius
• Great-eared nightjar, Lyncornis macrotis
• Puerto Rican nightjar, Antrostomus noctitherus