Scissor-tailed Nightjar
Scissor-tailed NightjarScissor-tailed NightjarScissor-tailed NightjarScissor-tailed Nightjar

Scissor-tailed Nightjar

Hydropsalis torquata

Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
at El Impenetrable National Park
56 Verified sightings at El Impenetrable National Park From 2019 to 2026
295 Verified sightings across all 13 parks From 2019 to 2026
November Best month highest sighting rate
☀️🌙 Day & Night When it's spotted Active throughout day and night

About the Scissor-tailed Nightjar

The scissor-tailed nightjar (Hydropsalis torquata) is a species of nightjar in the family Caprimulgidae. It is distributed over much of eastern South America. The scissor-tailed nightjar was formally described in 1789 by the German naturalist Johann Friedrich Gmelin in his revised and expanded edition of Carl Linnaeus's Systema Naturae. He placed it with the other nightjars in the genus Caprimulgus and coined the binomial name Caprimulgus torquatus. The scissor-tailed nightjar is now placed with three other species in the genus Hydropsalis that was introduced in 1832 by the German naturalist Johann Georg Wagler. The genus name combines the Ancient Greek hudro- meaning "water-" with psalis meaning "pair of scissors". The specific epithet torquata is from Latin torquatus meaning "collared".

Two subspecies are recognised: H. t. torquata (Gmelin, JF, 1789) – south Suriname, Brazil and east Peru H. t. furcifer (Vieillot, 1817) – south Peru to south Brazil and central Argentina The specific epithet brasiliana or brasilianus was formerly sometimes used.

The most distinctive feature of the scissor-tailed nightjar is the male's elongated outer tail feathers... Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at El Impenetrable National Park

Little Nightjar
LC

Little Nightjar

🌙 Nocturnal Bird

Setopagis parvula

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Common Nighthawk
LC

Common Nighthawk

🌅 Crepuscular Bird

Chordeiles minor

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data
Rufous Nightjar
LC

Rufous Nightjar

🌙 Nocturnal Bird

Antrostomus rufus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Common Pauraque
LC

Common Pauraque

☀️🌙 Day & Night Bird

Nyctidromus albicollis

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data
Band-winged Nightjar
LC

Band-winged Nightjar

☀️🌙 Day & Night Bird

Systellura longirostris

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 El Impenetrable National Park 🇦🇷 Argentina
~20%
2 El Palmar National Park 🇦🇷 Argentina
~10%
3 Serra da Canastra National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
~10%
4 Chapada dos Guimarães National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
~10%
5 Amboró National Park 🇧🇴 Bolivia
<5%
6 Chapada Diamantina National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
<5%
7 Iberá National Park 🇦🇷 Argentina
<5%
8 Madidi National Park 🇧🇴 Bolivia
<5%
9 Cordillera Azul National Park 🇵🇪 Peru
<5%
10 Emas National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
Insufficient data
11 Serra dos Órgãos National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
Insufficient data
12 Iguaçu National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
Insufficient data
13 Iguazú National Park 🇦🇷 Argentina
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Scissor-tailed Nightjar in El Impenetrable National Park?

About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Scissor-tailed Nightjar sighting in El Impenetrable National Park, based on 56 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Scissor-tailed Nightjar in El Impenetrable National Park?

November has the highest sighting rate for Scissor-tailed Nightjar in El Impenetrable National Park in our monthly data.

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