LITTLE NIGHTJAR

BACURAU-CHINTÃ (AS KNOWN IN BRAZIL)

Hydropsalis parvula

The Little Nightjar, also known as the Small Nightjar and Kuchuiguigui, is a small-sized bird measuring about 7 inches, featuring gray, brown, and reddish-brown markings on its body. The Little Nightjar lives on the ground, displaying nocturnal habits, resting under shrubs during the day, and is often seen when perched on tree trunks to sing.

It is found in various open habitats, such as grasslands and forest edges. Its distinctive and easy-to-remember song goes drui-dro-dro-dro-dro-dro.

Its diet consists of insects captured in flight. It breeds from August to November, with nests typically containing two eggs. When they sense an intruder during incubation, they fly away from the area to avoid revealing the nest's location. When they have chicks, they often pretend to have broken wings in an attempt to lure the intruder away from the chicks' vicinity. They can be found throughout Brazil and also from Venezuela to Bolivia and Argentina.