Elusive nightjar birds making remarkable comeback, conservationists say

The number of nightjars recorded in a national park is thought to have doubled in the past five years following conservation efforts.

“- Published The number of nightjars recorded in a national park is thought to have doubled in the past five years following conservation efforts”

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Seventy eight of the elusive birds, which are known for their "churring" song at sunset, were recorded last year in an ecological survey within the South Downs National Park.

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A spokesman for the South Downs National Park Authority (SDNPA) described it as "a remarkable comeback" and was "thanks to nature recovery efforts and better habitat management".

The survey also found 109 nightjar territories, the highest recorded, in the lowland heaths of east Hampshire, including Woolmer Forest and the commons of Shortheath, Bramshott, Ludshott, Broxhead and Kingsley.

Nightjars are crepuscular ground-nesting birds - meaning they emerge at twilight and can be seen hunting for food at dusk and dawn.

The birds migrate 4,000 miles (6,437 km) from the Democratic Republic of Congo each spring and remain from April to August.

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The birds have a number of nicknames, with the most unusual being "the goatsucker".

The SDNPA spokesman explained: "Long ago it was thought nightjars would drink milk directly from goats, poisoning them so their udders wasted away and they went blind."

The myth was once common in many countries all over Europe. The legend probably arose from the fact that nightjars were coming close to livestock because they were hunting insects nearby.

The nightjar is listed as an amber species under the Red List for Birds, external, meaning it is a species of "conservation concern".

Their numbers fell by 51% between 1972 and 1992, following loss of woodland and heathland to agriculture and development.

The SDNPA spokesman described them as "one of Britain's most elusive birds" and said the current rise in numbers followed work focused on protecting and increasing lowland heath which provides the habitat for the nightjar ground-nesting sites.

“- Published The number of nightjars recorded in a national park is thought to have doubled in the past five years following conservation efforts”

BBC

"Engagement rangers have also been out in the landscape over the past decade, encouraging people to care for the landscape, including keeping dogs on leads, picking up dog poo and sticking to pathways to avoid disturbing the nightjars and other wildlife."

He added their resurgence had been paralleled by revivals in woodlarks and Dartford warblers, "which are also showing promising increases in numbers".

The South Downs National Park stretches across Hampshire, West Sussex and East Sussex, encompassing chalk hills and villages across the areas.

Engagement ranger Kirsty Murray said the results of the ecological report were "so inspiring".

"They really show what we can achieve together to help biodiversity bounce back. These lowland heaths were once widespread across the South Downs but now make up just 1% of the national park."

Murray said they were "as rare as the rainforest, supporting some of the UK's rarest species".

"It's wonderful to hear the nightjars churring away as dusk falls and we're looking forward to continuing this incredibly positive conservation work alongside local communities and our partners."