What they like

Open, messy terrain with heath, sand and young regrowth. Warmth, quiet and dark nights. Give them space: leave a corner sparse, mow little, and keep paths sandy instead of sowing everything shut. In a park or yard: opt for a rough edge with heather, cross-leaved heath, broom and some young pine saplings. In farmland: create wide, herb-rich field margins and keep sandy headlands open.

Ecological importance

This is a nocturnal insect-mower. He hunts moths, beetles and other flying insects. Fewer insects = fewer nightjars. He nests on the ground; unleashed dogs and heavy recreation can wipe out a nest in a single evening.

When in the Netherlands

Mid April to September. You hear them most in May, June and July, especially at dusk.

Status

Rare breeding bird. Mostly on the Veluwe, in Drenthe, Brabant and Limburg. Making progress where heath and open woodland are being managed smartly again, but remains vulnerable.