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