Nightjar
Habitat and behaviour
Habitat: Heathland, clearfell.
Diet: Night-flying insects.
Best time to spot: Churring song at dusk.
When to look
A summer visitor, typically in the UK from May to August. Numbers peak in May. See the May birding guide for what else is about. More on the season in Bird migration in Britain.
Where to see it
Reserves where the Nightjar is on the list:
Recent UK sightings
No community sightings logged for this species yet. Log the first one.
Similar birds
- Red-necked Nightjar · Heathland (very rare)
- Egyptian Nightjar · Open ground (very rare)
- Eurasian Stone-curlewRare · Stony fields
- Great Grey ShrikeRare · Open heath
- Red-backed ShrikeRare · Scrubby heathland (ex-breeder)
- Eurasian HobbyUncommon · Heathland
Kit that helps
Best binoculars for UK birding. Affiliate links, tested picks, no extra cost to you.
See Nightjar sightings on the map