Critically Endangered Puerto Rican Nightjar on “Neotropical Birds”

Wed, Jul 21, 2010

An authoritative online life history for the Critically Endangered Puerto Rican Nightjar Caprimulgus noctitherus has been published on Neotropical Birds Online. The species account deals with identification, distribution, life history, conservation and future research recommendations and provides an essential resource for the conservation of this species.

The Puerto Rican Nightjar is endemic to the coastal and lower montane forests of southern and south-western Puerto Rico. Recent research suggests that it is more common than was thought but the species remains at risk from anthropogenic habitat loss or degradation. Puerto Rican Nightjars are more abundant in the upland forest in and around the Guánica Biosphere Reserve. However, nightjars range as far as Cabo Rojo in the extreme south-western tip of the island, to the municipality of Guayama in south-eastern Puerto Rico. They exhibit a preference for semi-deciduous and evergreen forest types.

The full account on Neotropical Birds can be found here.

Vilella, F. J. (2010) Puerto Rican Nightjar (Caprimulgus noctitherus), Neotropical Birds Online (T. S. Schulenberg, Editor). Ithaca: Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

This post was written by:

BirdLife Caribbean Program - who has written 42 posts on BirdLife Community.

Our aim is to develop a coherent, integrated Caribbean-wide bird conservation program based around empowering partners and people to protect key sites, conserve priority habitats and save threatened species. The program is actively engaged in saving globally threatened species and Important Bird Area protection in the Bahamas, Barbados, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica, Puerto Rico and Trinidad. BirdLife Partners in the UK, France, the Netherlands and the US are also engaged with the program through conservation actions in the overseas territories.

Caribbean, Caribbean Program, Critically Endangered, Neotropical Birds Online, Puerto Rican Nightjar, Puerto Rico

3 Responses to “Critically Endangered Puerto Rican Nightjar on “Neotropical Birds””

José A. Colón Says:
August 16th, 2010 at 3:59 am

Dear friends and colleagues,

When this bied was described from fossils, it was thought to be extinct. The locals at The southwestern dry forest knew of its existence, but it still was unknown to science. The “rediscovery” was based on vocalizations and, eventual collecting and its status remained critical due to the ollution caused by the oil refineries in southwestwern Puerto Rico. Insects, the main prey for the nightjar were virtually absent in the dry forest. The end of the petrochemical industry resulted in the rebirth of the dry forest and eventual recovery of the PR Nightjar. The species is fairly common and dispersing along the south of the Island. Its critical status is more from potential habitat destruction and the, highly improbable, return of heavy chemical industry. In my opinion, the PR Nightjar is in the road to recovery and, in the future will be in the same status as the Antillean Nighthawk.
Yes, it´s an amazing bird, but it´s more than, simply, just that.

stacy oborn Says:
July 26th, 2010 at 3:58 pm

Thanks so much for the story! We’ve since added new life history and breeding biology photos to the account, please take a look!

Veronica Anadon Says:
July 23rd, 2010 at 1:52 pm

I have seen this bird, and it’s just amazing! Keep up the good work!

José A. Colón Says:
August 16th, 2010 at 3:59 am
Dear friends and colleagues,

When this bied was described from fossils, it was thought to be extinct. The locals at The southwestern dry forest knew of its existence, but it still was unknown to science. The “rediscovery” was based on vocalizations and, eventual collecting and its status remained critical due to the ollution caused by the oil refineries in southwestwern Puerto Rico. Insects, the main prey for the nightjar were virtually absent in the dry forest. The end of the petrochemical industry resulted in the rebirth of the dry forest and eventual recovery of the PR Nightjar. The species is fairly common and dispersing along the south of the Island. Its critical status is more from potential habitat destruction and the, highly improbable, return of heavy chemical industry. In my opinion, the PR Nightjar is in the road to recovery and, in the future will be in the same status as the Antillean Nighthawk.
Yes, it´s an amazing bird, but it´s more than, simply, just that.

stacy oborn Says:
July 26th, 2010 at 3:58 pm
Thanks so much for the story! We’ve since added new life history and breeding biology photos to the account, please take a look!

Veronica Anadon Says:
July 23rd, 2010 at 1:52 pm
I have seen this bird, and it’s just amazing! Keep up the good work!

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