nightjar

night·jar  (ntjär)

n.

A goatsucker, especially Caprimulgus europaeus of Europe, having gray and brown mottled plumage with long, slender white wings and a short bill.

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[night + jar (from its harsh call).]

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nightjar

Noun

a nocturnal bird with a harsh cry [night + jar² (so called from its discordant cry)]

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

nightjar - mainly crepuscular or nocturnal nonpasserine birds with mottled greyish-brown plumage and large eyes; feed on insects caprimulgid, goatsucker caprimulgiform bird - long-winged nonpasserine birds Caprimulgidae, family Caprimulgidae - goatsuckers Caprimulgus europaeus, European goatsucker, European nightjar - Old World goatsucker Caprimulgus carolinensis, chuck-will's-widow - large whippoorwill-like bird of the southern United States Caprimulgus vociferus, whippoorwill - American nocturnal goatsucker with grey-and-white plumage bullbat, mosquito hawk, nighthawk - mainly nocturnal North American goatsucker Phalaenoptilus nuttallii, poorwill - goatsucker of western North America