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Uropsalis lyra
The Lyre-tailed Nightjar is unmistakable, with the males flaunting spectacular, pale-tipped tail streamers more than twice the bird’s body length. Uncommon and local from 2,500-3,000m (and sometimes much lower), it is found in gorges and on moist rocky cliffs, often near running water. Individuals habitually roost on cliff faces and in caves, often concealed by hanging vegetation, using one roost for extended periods. Excluding the tail streamers, sexes are similar. A rufous collar extends across the nape, the scapulars are generally a pale, vermiculated gray, and the primaries solid black. Females are distinguished from female Swallow-tailed Nightjars, which tend to be at higher elevations, by a vermiculated black and gray crown, lacking rufous, and a buffy (as opposed to white) throat band. Males forage and display nocturnally from the forest edge, with brief, fluttering sallies into the open, sometimes hovering. (Cornell)
Spotted on Dec 4, 2013
Submitted on Jan 14, 2014
2 Comments
Thanks Cody. This was at the top of a cliff face above an area that was big enough to park a few cars at Paz's across the street from the Cock-of-the-Rock a short way up the dirt road. It's cropped a bit, since I was shooting at 700mm.
Nice one Tom, it would have been crazy to run into you while I was guiding down there. I came to this spot on the 6th (as you know) 2 days after you! This came out great if its the same bird we were photographing at Paz's. It had to have been perched 100 meters up, and even with 1600mm I barely was able to get a full frame on it (at the cost of poor quality)