PAURAQUE Nyctidromus albicollis
The Pauraque (pronounced "Poor-a-kee") is one of the most familiar Paraguayan nightjars, thanks largely to its unpretensious habitat tastes and habit of sitting on roads. In some areas they are even attracted to street lights, posing on the floor and periodically flying up to snatch a juicy moth attracted to the artificial light source. Like many nightjars they freeze when exposed to a bright light, meaning that they can be approached closely. However, the downside is that many are killed by cars on roads!
Click the images to enlarge them.
FIGURE 1 - (FPAVE1229PH) Adult male brown phase, Estancia Señorita, Departamento San Pedro (Paul Smith September 2006).
FIGURE 2 - (FPAVE1230PH) Adult female grey phase, Mbaracayú Forest Reserve, Departamento Canindeyú (Paul Smith April 2005).
FIGURE 3 - (FPAVE1231PH) Adult female grey phase upperwing, Bahía Negra  (Paul Smith September 2006).
FIGURE 4 - (FPAVE1232PH) Fledgling,  Mbaracayú Forest Reserve, Departamento Canindeyú (Paul Smith October 2008).
VIDEO - (FPAVE1233VI) Adult, PROCOSARA, PN San Rafael (Paul Smith September 2010).
FIGURE 1

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 2

FIGURE 2
FIGURE 3

FIGURE 3
FIGURE 4

FIGURE 4
Nyctidromus albicollis
1 (FPAVE1234RE) Call  recorded Estancia Golondrina, Departamento Canindeyú (Myriam Velázquez October 2000).
Click the link to hear the call. Longer versions of this call can be downloaded from the Paraguay page of our partner website Xeno-Canto - 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 and Myriam Velázquez and is used with permission.