# Puerto Rican Nightjar

Scientific name: Antrostomus noctitherus

Bird group: [nightjar](https://birdsofpuertorico.com/family/nightjar)

Canonical source: https://birdsofpuertorico.com/bird/86/Puerto-Rican-Nightjar

## Identification

The Puerto Rican nightjar or Puerto Rican Whip-poor-will (Antrostomus noctitherus) is a bird in the nightjar family found in the coastal dry scrub forests in localized areas of southwestern Puerto Rico. It was described in 1916 from bones found in a cave in north central Puerto Rico and a single skin specimen from 1888, and was considered extinct until observed in the wild in 1961. The current population is estimated as 1,400-2,000 mature birds. The species is currently classified as Endangered due to pressures from habitat loss.


## Distribution and habitat

The Puerto Rican Nightjar is endemic to Puerto Rico where it 
is rare to locally common in and 
around the Guánica State Forest 
(Raffaele and others 1998, Vilella 
and Zwank 1993). Historically, its 
distribution may have included 
the northern karst from where it was originally described, but 
currently it is mostly restricted 
to southern Puerto Rico from 
Cabo Rojo to Guayama (Reynard 
1962, Vilella and Zwank 
1993). Its distribution includes 
privately owned lands between 
the Guayanilla-Peñuelas area 
(USFWS 2017, Vilella and Zwank 
1987), as well as the Susúa 
(Oberle 2018, Vilella and Zwank 
1993) and Maricao (Delannoy 
2005, Vilella and Zwank 1993) 
State Forests, and other localities 
including La Parguera and 
Sierra Bermeja in Lajas (Oberle 
2018, Vilella and Zwank 1993), 
and Guaniquilla, El Combate 
(Raffaele and others 1998), and 
Peñones de Melones in Cabo 
Rojo (Díaz-Méndez and Vicenty 
2005). Typical habitat for this 
species includes xeric limestone forests along the southwestern 
coast of the island, dry 
deciduous and semideciduous 
forests with dense leaf litter, 
evergreen forests, and sometimes 
riparian areas and plantations 
(Oberle 2018; Raffaele and others 
1998; Vilella 1989; Vilella and 
Zwank 1987, 1993). The atlas 
fieldwork yielded a total of 146 
records within 46 hexagons or 10 
percent of the 479 total hexagons 
(see map). Of the 46 hexagons 
where this species was found, 
breeding met the atlas definition 
of confirmed in 11 percent (5) 
of the hexagons, probable in 35 
percent (16), and possible in 52 
percent (24), while the species 
was observed in 2 percent (1) 
of the hexagons but without 
evidence of breeding (see map). Puerto Rican Nightjar distribution. The map shows the highest breeding code by hexagon and overlaying the ecological life zones in 
Puerto Rico. Note: percentages may not total 100 due to rounding.       77Puerto Rican Nightjar/Guabairo

## Breeding

Previously published reports indicate that the Puerto Rican 
Nightjar breeds from late 
February to early July (Raffaele 
and others 1998). The nesting 
occurs directly on a dense leaf 
litter layer of the forest fl oor, 
often under a low bush (Biaggi 
1997, Oberle 2018, Raffaele and 
others 1998). Atlas results show 
that this species breeds from 
December through August with 
the most breeding activity from 
February to May (see chart). 
Breeding activity peaks during 
May, and it mostly takes place within the subtropical dry forest 
life zone (60 percent of the 
hexagons) (see table). It also 
breeds within the subtropical 
moist and subtropical wet forest 
life zones at higher elevations 
(36 and 4 percent of hexagons, 
respectively) (see table 
and map).

## Conservation

The Puerto Rican Nightjar is currently listed as Endangered by 
the IUCN (BirdLife International 
2016). Threats to the population 
include habitat destruction, as 
well as the presence of nest and chick predators such as feral 
cats (Felis catus), mongooses 
(Herpestes auropunctatus), 
and fire ants (Solenopsis spp.) 
(Oberle 2018, Raffaele and others 
1998). Locally, this species is 
classified as endangered by local 
and Federal laws (PRDNER 2016 
and USFWS 1973, respectively). 
In Puerto Rico, the Puerto Rican 
Nightjar has a protected habitat 
in land of 14 percent or 155 
km2 of the total area covered by the hexagons where evidence 
of breeding was found for this 
species (1079 km2).

Photo: https://birdsofpuertorico.com/static/images/webp/in_086_Im0.png.webp

Distribution map: https://birdsofpuertorico.com/static/images/webp/in_086_Im1.png.webp

Source note: Text is reproduced from this site's published record. Historical conservation statements and taxonomy have not been independently revalidated. See https://birdsofpuertorico.com/about for source credits and limitations.