Spotted Nightjar

1. Large white spots on four outer primary wing feathers, visible in flight, with all-dark tail.

2. Broad buff or rufous collar around the neck, setting it apart from other nightjars.

3. Eerie, ascending wailing song that ends in a rapid series of high-pitched notes

Nocturnal and insectivorous, Spotted Nightjars feed on a wide variety of flying insects, which they catch in agile flight. They drink on the wing by skimming over waterholes. Breeding usually occurs from September to December, or after significant rainfall in arid regions. Females lay a single, well-camouflaged egg directly on the ground among leaf litter or stones, with both parents sharing incubation for about 3 days. Chicks are precocial and can walk soon after hatching. The species is generally solitary but may form small flocks during migration.

Spotted Nightjars are found throughout most of inland Australia, from open forests and woodlands to spinifex grasslands, gibber plains, and deserts. They generally avoid dense forests and coastal areas, and are absent from Tasmania and much of the east and south of the Great Dividing Range. By day, they roost on the ground, camouflaged among rocks, leaf litter, or stony soil. At night, they are often encountered on outback roads, where their eyes reflect headlights, or hawking insects around artificial lights and campfires.