SHORT-TAILED NIGHTHAWK Lurocalis semitorquatus
With his swept-back wings and extremely short tail, the Short-tailed Nighthawk looks not unlike a giant bat as he flits around the night sky. They spend the day roosting on a tree branch where they can be exceptionally difficult to spot. As darkness falls their distinctive call begins to ring out across the forest and one by one they take to the air, swooping close to still sitting birds and calling loudly to coax them to join them in the air.
Click on the images to enlarge them.
FIGURE 1 - (FPAVE957PH) Roosting adult ssp nattereri, Hotel Tirol, Departamento Itapúa (Paul Smith September 2006).
FIGURE 2 - (FPAVE958PH) Adult in flight, PROCOSARA, PN San Rafael (Bob Brooks November 2010).
VIDEO - (FPAVE959VI) Adult in flight, PROCOSARA, PN San Rafael (Paul Smith April 2010).
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Lurocalis semitorquatus
1 (FPAVE960RE) Song recorded Aguara-Ñu, Mbaracayú Biosphere Reserve, Departamento Canindeyú (Juan Mazar Barnett July 1997).
2 (FPAVE961RE) Song at dusk recorded Aguara-Ñu, Mbaracayú Biosphere Reserve, Departamento Canindeyú (Juan Mazar Barnett December 1997).
3 (FPAVE962RE ) Song recorded Estancia Laguna Blanca, Departamento San Pedro (Paul Smith October 2008).
4 (FPAVE963RE) Mixed calls recorded Santa Ines, PN San Rafael, Departamento Itapúa (Myriam Velázquez November 2001).
5 (FPAVE964RE) Mixed calls recorded Santa Ines, PN San Rafael, Departamento Itapúa (Myriam Velázquez November 2001).
6 (FPAVE965RE) Mixed calls recorded Arroyo Blanco, Departamento Amambay (Myriam Velázquez October 2008).
Click the links to hear the calls. Longer versions of this call can be downloaded from the Paraguay page of our partner website Xeno-Canto - the largest collection of freely downloadable Neotropical bird calls available online.
Designed by Paul Smith 2006. This website is copyrighted by law.
Material contained herewith may not be used without the prior written permission of FAUNA Paraguay.
Material on this page was provided by Paul Smith, Bob Brooks, Myriam Velázquez and Juan Mazar Barnett and is used with their permission.
