Common Pauraque
Common Pauraque has declined: down 49% on the route-weighted index since 1969.
About the Common Pauraque
The Common Pauraque (Nyctidromus albicollis) is a North American member of the Nightjars & Nighthawks (Caprimulgidae). In this analysis it is grouped with the aerial insectivores.
- Size
- 7.5–12 in long (19–30 cm) — a cryptic, big-mouthed bird (typical for the family)
- Habitat
- Open airspace over fields, water and towns; nests in cavities, earthen banks or on structures.
- Diet
- Flying insects caught on the wing.
- Range
- Recorded on 30 Breeding Bird Survey routes across 1 state, most concentrated in the Tamaulipan Brushlands.
- Family
- Caprimulgidae · Aerial insectivores
Notable Common Pauraque Trends
No notable trend signals for Common Pauraque. See the full index history below.
Common Pauraque Population Forecast
If the recent trend holds, Common Pauraque is projected to stay roughly flat through 2029, near 0.00 (95% range 0.00–0.01). A 5-year backtest shows a typical error of ±167.7%, with 100% of held-out values landing inside the 95% band.
| Year | Projected index | 95% low | 95% high |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| 2026 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| 2027 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| 2028 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| 2029 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.01 |
Where the Common Pauraque Is Detected
BBS routes recording Common Pauraque, sized by most recent count.
Common Pauraque Population Trend by State
| Texas | -61% | 1969 | 30 |
Common Pauraque Population Trend by Region
Bird Conservation Regions are the ecological unit for trends.
| Oaks and Prairies | +27% | 2006 | 4 |
| Tamaulipan Brushlands | -74% | 1969 | 21 |
| Gulf Coastal Prairie | -1% | 1985 | 5 |
Common Pauraque Conservation Status
Our route-weighted index shows it down about 49% since 1969. Aerial insectivores have fallen sharply across the continent, a decline widely linked to dwindling insect prey.
Source: USGS North American Breeding Bird Survey, retrieved 2026-05-22. Trend is a route-weighted relative-abundance index, not an absolute population.