European Nightjar: In winter

The Nightjar is a long-distance migrant and is not present in Sweden during the winter.

• Migration: it leaves the country as early as August and migrates to wintering grounds in sub-Saharan Africa.
• In Sweden: in winter the species is entirely absent, and its churring display call is heard only during the summer months.
• Return: the birds arrive late in spring, at the end of May, when night-flying insects are once again abundant.

Its dependence on nocturnal insects means it must head south as soon as the Swedish evenings turn too cold and insect-poor.

More about the European Nightjar

• Song & calls
• Breeding
• Nest & eggs