Lyre-tailed nightjar

The lyre-tailed nightjar shares its genus with the swallow-tailed nightjar (Uropsalis segmentata). It has three subspecies, the nominate U. l. lyra, U. l. peruana, and U. l. argentina.[2]

Lyre-tailed nightjar

The male lyre-tailed nightjar has extremely long outer tail feathers from which the species gets its name; they are more than twice as long as its body. The female's tail is much shorter and less graduated. Adults of the nominate subspecies are 23.5 to 28 cm (9.3 to 11 in) long excluding the tail streamers. The tail exceeds 60 cm (24 in) in length. Males weigh about 70 g (2.5 oz) and females about 77 g (2.7 oz). The male's upperparts are brown. Its crown and nape are spotted with grayish white, buff, tawny, and cinnamon; the back also has tawny and cinnamon spots. It has a broad tawny "collar" around the nape. The tail is brown; the streamers have broad grayish white tips and the other tail feathers are barred and mottled with tawny and buff. The wings are also overall brown with buff, tawny, and cinnamon spots and mottling. The chin and throat are tawny or buff with brown bars and spots, and the "collar" extends across the throat. The breast and upper belly are brown with dense tawny bars and spots. the lower belly and flanks are buff barred with brown. The female's crown is grayish rather than brown and the primary wing feathers have more prominent rufous markings than the male's.[3]

U. l. peruana is somewhat larger than the nominate and has a more reddish cast overall. U. l. argentina is the largest of the three subspecies. Compared to the nominate, its breast markings are whiter, and the tail streamers are tipped with gray instead of white.[3]

The nominate subspecies of lyre-tailed nightjar is found in the Andes of western Venezuela, western Colombia, and Ecuador, and possibly northern Peru. U. l. peruana is found on the east slope of the Andes of Peru and into central Bolivia. U. l. argentina is found in the Andes of northern Argentina and possibly southern Bolivia. In elevation the species mostly ranges from 1,100 to 2,100 m (3,600 to 6,900 ft) but occurs as low as 800 m (2,600 ft) and as high as 3,500 m (11,500 ft). It inhabits humid montane forest, especially its edges and openings. It favors cliffs and ravines near running water.[3]

The IUCN has assessed the lyre-tailed nightjar as being of Least Concern. Though its population has not been quantified it appear to be stable. No immediate threats have been identified though deforestation may be one in the future.[1][3]