Cuban nightjar
Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Family
Genus
SPECIES
Antrostomus cubanensis

The Cuban nightjar (Antrostomus cubanensis ), is a species of nightjar in the family Caprimulgidae. It is endemic to Cuba.

Appearance

The Cuban nightjar's subspecies A. c. cubanensis is 25 to 29.5 cm (9.8 to 12 in) long. Males weigh approximately 76 g (2.7 oz) and females 70 g (2.5 oz). Their upperparts are dark brown speckled with grayish buff, pale buff, and grayish brown. The tail is brown and the three outer pairs of feathers are tipped with white (male) or buff (female). The innermost pair has grayish brown chevrons. The wings are brown with spots, bars, and mottling of lighter shades. The face is tawny with dark brown speckles, the chin and throat dark brown with cinnamon speckles, the breast dark brown with large spots and smaller speckles of buffy white, and the belly and flanks dark brown with gray speckles. A. c. insulaepinorum is smaller, much darker, and has a shorter tail.

Distribution

Geography

Continents
Countries
Biogeographical realms

The nominate subspecies of Cuban nightjar is found on the main island of Cuba and most of the small adjoining islands of the archipelago. A. c. insulaepinorum is found only on Isla de la Juventud ("Isle of Youth", formerly the Isle of Pines). They inhabit landscapes described by different authors as "dense scrub", "open woodland and the edges of swamps", and "rather dense forest".

Cuban nightjar habitat map
Cuban nightjar habitat map
Cuban nightjar
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Habits and Lifestyle

Lifestyle
Seasonal behavior

Diet and Nutrition

The Cuban nightjar is crepuscular and nocturnal. Its prey is insects that it captures in flight, though whether that is during continuous flight or by sallies from a perch or the ground is not known.

Mating Habits

The Cuban nightjar breeds between March and July. The usual clutch of two eggs is laid directly on the ground without a nest. Both sexes are believed to incubate the eggs.

Population

Population number

The IUCN has assessed the Cuban nightjar as being of Least Concern. Though its population is unknown, it is believed to be decreasing. No immediate threats have been identified. However, "destruction of habitat undoubtably would affect this species, and introduced predators also are a potential threat."

References

1. Cuban nightjar Wikipedia article - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuban_nightjar
2. Cuban nightjar on The IUCN Red List site - https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22689786/130167550

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