Behavior

Sickle-winged Nightjar is crepuscular and nocturnal. Insects are captured with sallies from the ground (Kirwan et al. 1999), and perhaps also in low continuous flights over open areas. Often sits on roads and trails at night, or perches on low branches, bushes, or wire fencing. Roosts on ground on small patches of earth or in depressions, often among clumps of short vegetation (Cleere 1998). Takes flight with rapid wingbeats but otherwise flies with slow, fluttering flaps and glides, giving the impression of an injured bird (Preyra 1939, Pearman and Abadie 1995, Kirwan et al. 1999, Accordi 2001).

There are no published data on territorial defense, maintenance, or home range size for Sickle-winged Nightjar.

The male Sickle-winged Nightjar has a courtship flight, in which he flies and glides low over the ground (at a height of 0.8-1.2 m), and occasionally making muffled thudding sounds (tuktuktuk) (Cleere 1998).

Not well known, although probably solitary.

No reports of predation on Sickle-winged Nightjar?