Blackish Nightjar

Blackish Nightjar

Nyctipolus nigrescens

Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic

LCLeast ConcernNTVUENCR
Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
at Podocarpus National Park

In 3 days ~10% in a week ~30%

73 Verified sightings at Podocarpus National Park From 2019 to 2026
167 In all 4 parks
October Best month
☀️🌙 Day & Night When it's spotted

About the Blackish Nightjar

The blackish nightjar (Nyctipolus nigrescens) is a species of bird in the family Caprimulgidae. It is found in Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela. The blackish nightjar was originally placed in genus Caprimulgus, but DNA analyses show that it and its sister species pygmy nightjar (Nyctipolus hirundinaceus) require their own genus. The blackish nightjar is monotypic.

The blackish nightjar is 19.5 to 21.5 cm (7.7 to 8.5 in) long and weighs 32 to 39 g (1.1 to 1.4 oz). Its upperparts are blackish brown with tawny, grayish white, and cinnamon spots. Its tail is dark brown with indistinct lighter bars and mottling and (on the male) a white tip. The underparts to the belly are dark brown with paler baring; the belly and flanks are buffy with darker barring. The throat has a small white patch on either side. In flight the wing shows a small white band.

The blackish nightjar is found east of the Andes in Peru, Ecuador, and southern Colombia, and across southern Colombia through southern Venezuela and the Guianas into northeastern and north-central Brazil. They... Wikipedia →

Sounds

Song0:58

Brazil · 2023

© JAYRSON ARAUJO DE OLIVEIRA · XC780733 · CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Flight call0:14

Peru · 2003

© Daniel F. Lane · XC257049 · CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Call0:42

French Guiana · 2012

© Jon King · XC122513 · CC BY-NC-SA 3.0

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Podocarpus National Park 🇪🇨 Ecuador
<5%
2 Anavilhanas National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
<5%
3 Sierra de la Macarena National Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
<5%
4 Yasuní National Park 🇪🇨 Ecuador
<5%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Blackish Nightjar in Podocarpus National Park?

Rare

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Blackish Nightjar sighting in Podocarpus National Park on a given day, based on 73 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 195th most-seen of the 446 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 30%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a Blackish Nightjar in Podocarpus National Park?

March–April and October–November

In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Blackish Nightjar in Podocarpus National Park on a given day, against under 5% in May–September and December–February, the lowest months.

What time of day is best to see a Blackish Nightjar?

Between 4 and 7 pm

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Blackish Nightjar sightings with a recorded time, and about 6 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is seen both by day and at night.

Is Podocarpus National Park the best place to see a Blackish Nightjar?

Yes

Of the 4 parks where we can rate Blackish Nightjar sightings, Podocarpus National Park has the highest daily chance: under 5%. Next come Anavilhanas National Park (Brazil, under 5%) and Sierra de la Macarena National Park (Colombia, under 5%).

Where does the Blackish Nightjar sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Blackish Nightjar is recorded against all the birds logged in Podocarpus National Park (73 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

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