Buff-Collared Nightjar

Toward the end of May I was in southeastern Arizona with a guide, Jake Thompson, who works for Arizona Bird Guides. I signed up for an evening of owling and we headed up Box Canyon, on the edge of the Santa Rita Mountains, at what they refer to as the first bridge, a steel and cement bridge over a large ravine. As with so many birds we were looking for, the buff-collared nightjar is a Mexican and Central American species that is only sparsely found in the U.S. in southeastern Arizona. In fact, it has been found at fewer than 20 locations in the U.S. Birds of the World notes, "Because of its nocturnal habits and limited distribution in the United States, the "Buff-jar," as this bird is known colloquially, is a difficult species to see or study there. In recent years, a short stretch of McCleary Wash (usually referred to as Florida Wash by birders) below Madera Canyon in the Santa Rita Mountains of southeastern Arizona has been the mecca for birders seeking this species in the United States. Other than at this one heavily visited location, encounters with Buff-collared Nightjar in the United States are very infrequent." Well, that last quote describes my situation exactly. My optimism for a photograph, was misplaced, as evening shadows turned to pitch black night (I'd previously seen a jungle nightjar (December 15, 2025 post) in India and a lyre-tailed nightjar (May 9, 2022 post) in Ecuador). A group of about 10 or 15 people were there, all looking for the same thing. Jake is phenomenal at knowing bird calls and we separated from the group and walked back down the road toward our vehicle when he heard its call zooming past us up the canyon. We walked back to the group and periodically heard it again. At the end of our evening, it made its presence known, up-canyon, and Jake put his heavy-duty flashlight on it and we got its eye-shine staring back at us. We called it a night and headed back to the car. No photos of this bird for me, but I now am one of the people that has visited the buff-jar mecca and heard it and saw its eye-shine. 

Illustration of a female from Birds of the World. 

Illustration of a male from Birds of the World. 

Range from Birds of the World.