SICKLE-WINGED NIGHTJAR Eleothreptus anomalus NEAR THREATENED
The bizarre wing shape of the male Sickle-winged Nightjar, a little known species of the southern grasslands, confused early naturalists. They even thought that it may have been due to a deformity - the flight pattern of the bird makes it look like it is injured or in distress! We now know that the sickle-shaped wing of the male is used to make audible flapping noises in display flights, something the females find utterly irresistible.
Click on the images to enlarge them.
Gallery 2 - Adult female
FIGURE 2a - (FPAVE1727PH) Adult female, Isla Yacyreta, Departamento Itapúa (Paul Smith September 2010).
FIGURE 2b - (FPAVE1728PH) Adult female frontal, Isla Yacyreta, Departamento Itapúa (Paul Smith September 2010).
FIGURE 2c - (FPAVE1729PH) Adult female, Isla Yacyreta  Departamento Itapúa (Hugo del Castillo February 2007).
FIGURE 2d - (FPAVE1730PH) Adult female head detail, Isla Yacyreta, Departamento Itapúa (Paul Smith October 2009).
FIGURE 2e - (FPAVE1731PH) Adult female upperwing, Isla Yacyreta, Departamento Itapúa (Hugo del Castillo April 2007).
FIGURE 2f - (FPAVE1732PH) Same individual upper tail (Hugo del Castillo April 2007).
FIGURE 2g - (FPAVE1733PH) Same individual underside of tail (Hugo del Castillo April 2007).
FIGURE 2h - (FPAVE1734PH) Adult female foot, Isla Yacyreta, Departamento Itapúa (Paul Smith October 2009).
FIGURE 2i - (FPAVE3073PH) Adult female, Isla Yacyreta, Departamento Itapúa (Matt Denton October 2010).
VIDEO C - (FPAVE1735VI) Adult female, Isla Yacyreta, Departamento Itapúa (Paul Smith October 2009).
FIGURE 2a

FIGURE 2a
FIGURE 2b

FIGURE 2b
FIGURE 2c

FIGURE 2c
FIGURE 2d

FIGURE 2d
FIGURE 2e

FIGURE 2e
FIGURE 2f

FIGURE 2f
FIGURE 2g

FIGURE 2g
FIGURE 2h

FIGURE 2h
FIGURE 2i

FIGURE 2i
Eleothreptus anomalus
1 (FPAVE1740RE) Call and song recorded Isla Yacyretá, Departamento Itapúa (Arne Lesterhuis November 2007).
2 (FPAVE1741RE) Call recorded Isla Yacyretá, Departamento Itapúa (Arne Lesterhuis November 2007).
3 (FPAVE1742RE) Song recorded Isla Yacyretá, Departamento Itapúa (Arne Lesterhuis November 2007).
4 (FPAVE1743RE) Song of immature recorded Isla Yacyretá, Departamento Itapúa (Arne Lesterhuis November 2007).
5 (FPAVE1744RE) Call and flight song recorded Isla Yacyretá, Departamento Itapúa (Paul Smith October 2009).
Click the link to hear the call. Longer versions of this call can be downloaded from the Paraguay page of our partner website www.xeno-canto.com - the largest collection of freely downloadable Neotropical bird calls available online.
Designed by Paul Smith 2006. This website is copyrighted by law.
Material contained herewith may not be used without the prior written permission of FAUNA Paraguay.
Material on this page was provided by Paul Smith, Arne Lesterhuis and Hugo del Castillo and are used with their permission.
FIGURE 1a

FIGURE 1a
FIGURE 1b

FIGURE 1b
FIGURE 1c

FIGURE 1c
FIGURE 1d

FIGURE 1d
FIGURE 1e

FIGURE 1e
FIGURE 1f

FIGURE 1f
Gallery 1 - Adult male
FIGURE 1a - (FPAVE1720PH) Adult male, Isla Yacyreta, Departamento Itapúa (Paul Smith October 2009).
FIGURE 1b - (FPAVE1721PH) Adult male, Isla Yacyreta, Departamento Itapúa (Hugo del Castillo February 2007).
FIGURE 1c - (FPAVE1722PH) Same individual as (FPAVE1721PH) (Hugo del Castillo February 2007).
FIGURE 1d - (FPAVE1723PH) Adult male upperwing, Isla Yacyreta, Departamento Itapúa (Paul Smith October 2009).
FIGURE 1e - (FPAVE1724PH) Adult male upperwing, Isla Yacyreta  Departamento Itapúa (Hugo del Castillo February 2007).
FIGURE 1f - (FPAVE1725PH) Same individual as (FPAVE1724PH)  underwing (Hugo del Castillo February 2007).
VIDEO A -  (FPAVE1726VI) Adult male, Isla Yacyreta, Departamento Itapúa (Paul Smith October 2009).
VIDEO B -  (FPAVE1739VI) Adult male, Isla Yacyreta, Departamento Itapúa (Paul Smith September 2010).
Gallery 3 - Immature
FIGURE 3a - (FPAVE1736PH) Immature, Isla Yacyreta, Departamento Itapúa (Arne Lesterhuis September 2007).
FIGURE 3b - (FPAVE1737PH) Immature upperwing, Isla Yacyreta, Departamento Itapúa (Arne Lesterhuis August 2007).
FIGURE 3c - (FPAVE1738PH) Immature upper tail, Isla Yacyreta, Departamento Itapúa (Arne Lesterhuis September 2007).
FIGURE 3a

FIGURE 3a
FIGURE 3b

FIGURE 3b
FIGURE 3c

FIGURE 3c