Dusky nightjar

The dusky nightjar was originally described as Antrostomus saturatus; that genus was later merged into Caprimulgus and later still restored to generic status. It appears to be most closely related to the eastern and Mexican whip-poor-wills (A. vociferus and A. arizonae, respectively).[3] The dusky nightjar is monotypic.[2]

The dusky nightjar is 21 to 25 cm (8.3 to 9.8 in) long. A male weighed 52.9 g (1.9 oz) and a female 51 g (1.8 oz). The adult male's upperparts are sooty black with fine reddish cinnamon spots and bars. Much of the face is also reddish cinnamon. The central tail feathers are sooty black with reddish cinnamon bars; the outer three pairs have wide white tips and less barring. The wings are blackish with reddish cinnamon bars. The throat and breast are sooty black with scattered white spots and have a narrow band of white and buff separating them. The belly is cinnamon to buff with narrow black bars. The adult female is similar to the male, but the reddish buff markings are larger giving a more reddish overall appearance. The tips of the outer tail feathers are narrow and buff rather than wide and white. Juveniles are somewhat paler and more reddish than the adults.[3]

The dusky nightjar has a wide but scattered distribution through the highlands of Costa Rica. In Panama it occurs only on Volcán Barú in Chiriquí Province. In elevation it ranges from 1,500 to 3,100 m (4,900 to 10,200 ft). It inhabits the edges and openings of humid montane forest rather than its interior.[3]

The IUCN has assessed the dusky nightjar as being of Least Concern. Though it has a small range, its estimated population of at least 20,000 mature individuals is believed to be stable. No immediate threats have been identified.[1]