Arriving here in April and May from their wintering grounds in Africa, nightjars nest on the ground on heathland and in young conifer woods. They are nocturnal, feeding on moths, flies and beetles. Amazingly well camouflaged, it is best to look for nightjars at dusk during May and June when the males can be seen displaying to females, flying around them, wing-clapping and calling. The call of the male nightjar is a distinctive 'churring' sound and often the best indicator they are about.
Nightjars suffered massive declines in the 1980s due to loss of habitat; over 80% of lowland heathland in the UK has been lost in just 200 years. Nesting on the ground also means that nightjars are very sensitive to disturbance. The parents can easily be scared off their nests by walkers and particularly their dogs, leaving the eggs vulnerable to predators. Ensuring breeding birds are not disturbed and heathland nature reserves are well-managed are just some of the ways The Wildlife Trusts are helping this bird to survive. You can help too: volunteer for The Wildlife Trusts and you could be involved in everything from clearing scrub to raising awareness about nesting birds. And don't forget to keep dogs on leads in areas where ground-nesting birds are breeding.
