[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/nightjar/)

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# nightjar

noun (a nightjar, nightjars)

«nightjar» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

A brown, speckled bird that hunts moths at dusk and at night and makes a long, whirring, churring song. It sleeps on the ground or along a branch in the day, hidden by its camouflage. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nightjar/#m1)

### In the lessons

Science and nature: a great example of camouflage — its feathers look like bark and dead leaves. Nightjars come to Britain and Europe in summer from Africa. In North America related birds are the whip-poor-will and nighthawk. In stories, its strange churring makes a summer night feel mysterious.

### Examples

- We heard a nightjar churring on the heath. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nightjar/#x1)
- A nightjar's feathers look just like dead leaves. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nightjar/#x2)
- Nightjars catch moths in the dark. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nightjar/#x3)
- The nightjar sat so still we nearly stepped on it. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nightjar/#x4)
- In autumn the nightjars fly back to Africa. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nightjar/#x5)
- The ranger took us on a walk to listen for nightjars. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nightjar/#x6)

### Note

Compound: night + jar (an old word for a harsh noise). Plural: nightjars. Old names: goatsucker (from a myth that it drank goats' milk — not true).

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «nightjar» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nightjar/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«nightjar» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/nightjar.html) on Mova free.