[order] CAPRIMULGIFORMES | [family] Caprimulgidae | [latin] Caprimulgus ridgwayi | [UK] Buff-collared Nightjar | [FR] Engoulevent de Ridgway | [DE] Braunhals-Nachtschwalbe | [ES] Chotacabras Tucuchillo, Pucuyo Collar Claro (HN) | [NL] Ridgway’s Whip-poorwil
Subspecies
| Genus | Species | subspecies | Breeding Range | Breeding Range 2 | Non Breeding Range |
| Caprimulgus | ridgwayi | MA | nw Mexico to Nicaragua | ||
| Caprimulgus | ridgwayi | ridgwayi | se Arizona (USA), w Mexico | ||
| Caprimulgus | ridgwayi | troglodytes | c Guatemala, c Honduras and c Nicaragua |
Physical charateristics
Similar to Whip-poor-will but with a buff or tawny collar across the hindneck.
Listen to the sound of Buff-collared Nightjar
[audio:http://www.aviflevoland.nl/sounddb/B/Buff-collared Nightjar.mp3]
Copyright remark: Most sounds derived from xeno-canto
| wingspan min.: | 0 | cm | wingspan max.: | 0 | cm |
| size min.: | 21 | cm | size max.: | 24 | cm |
| incubation min.: | 0 | days | incubation max.: | 0 | days |
| fledging min.: | 0 | days | fledging max.: | 0 | days |
| broods: | 1 | eggs min.: | 1 | ||
| eggs max.: | 3 |
Range
Middle America : Northwest Mexico to Nicaragua
Habitat
Desert canyons, rocky slopes. In United States, found mostly around 4,000′ el
evation, in rocky canyons that have trees or dense brush along drainage and sparse growth on hillsides. In Mexico, found in various kinds of dry tropical forest and brush.
evation, in rocky canyons that have trees or dense brush along drainage and sparse growth on hillsides. In Mexico, found in various kinds of dry tropical forest and brush.
Reproduction
Nesting behavior is poorly known; only a few nests have been found, mostly in Mexico. Male calls at night, presumably to defend territory and attract a mate; calls most actively at dusk and dawn and when moon is up.
Nest: Site is on ground, usually in the shade of a shrub, and often surrounded by dense thickets. No nest built; eggs laid on dead leaves or open soil.
Eggs: 2, perhap
s sometimes 1. Pale buff, heavily marked with spots of lilac and brown. Incubation behavior and timing are not well known; in related species of nightjars, incubation is mostly or entirely by female, and lasts about 3 weeks.
Young: Development of young and age at first flight are not well known. If danger threatens, adult may put on a distraction display, feigning a broken wing to lure intruders away from nest.
Nest: Site is on ground, usually in the shade of a shrub, and often surrounded by dense thickets. No nest built; eggs laid on dead leaves or open soil.
Eggs: 2, perhap
s sometimes 1. Pale buff, heavily marked with spots of lilac and brown. Incubation behavior and timing are not well known; in related species of nightjars, incubation is mostly or entirely by female, and lasts about 3 weeks.
Young: Development of young and age at first flight are not well known. If danger threatens, adult may put on a distraction display, feigning a broken wing to lure intruders away from nest.
Feeding habits
Insects. Diet not known in detail, but undoubtedly includes large night-flying insects such as beetles and moths.
Behavior: Apparently forages at dusk and dawn, also at night on moonlit nights. Does much of its foraging by sitting on exposed perch at top of shrub or small tree and flying out to catch passing insects in mid
air. Also makes long flights of a minute or two, patrolling for insects. May also forage by flying up from the ground.
Behavior: Apparently forages at dusk and dawn, also at night on moonlit nights. Does much of its foraging by sitting on exposed perch at top of shrub or small tree and flying out to catch passing insects in mid
air. Also makes long flights of a minute or two, patrolling for insects. May also forage by flying up from the ground.
Conservation
This species has a very large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence <20,000 km2 combined with a declining or fluctuating range size, habitat extent/quality, or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation). Despite the fact that the population trend appears to be decreasing, the decline is not believed to be sufficiently rapid to approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population trend criterion (>30% decline over ten years or three generations). The population size is extremely large, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population size criterion (<10,000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be >10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern.
Migration
Mainly Mexico (Sonora to Chiapas). Summers locally in a number of canyons in southern Arizona and extreme southwestern New Mexico. Migration:
Probably permanent resident over most of its range. In Arizona and New Mexico, apparently arrives mostly in May, remaining through August.
Probably permanent resident over most of its range. In Arizona and New Mexico, apparently arrives mostly in May, remaining through August.
Distribution map
