A rare nightjar, a bird once common in Ireland but now considered extremely rare in Northern Ireland, made an unexpected appearance in a Belfast street, found behind a bin by office staff. Debbie Doolittle, a wildlife rescuer, was called to the scene and was surprised to discover it was a nightjar, a bird she described as 'almost extinct' in Northern Ireland. Doolittle brought the bird back to her rescue center in Antrim, where it could rest until it was well enough to be released the next day. She described it as her 'most special' rescue of 2025. Nightjars were once a common sight in Ireland, but their numbers have dramatically declined due to habitat loss and pesticide use. A recent survey found evidence of a very small number in the southeast of Ireland, and the discovery of a nightjar in Belfast is an exciting development. The bird was small, nocturnal, and had large dark eyes, pointed wings, and a long tail. It had a short, narrow beak, but its mouth opened very wide to enable it to hunt insects and moths in mid-flight. Its feathers were a mottled mix of brown, grey, beige, and white, allowing it to camouflage itself as it nests in open ground on heaths and moors. Doolittle did not want to release the bird in a public place, so she chose a secret location to avoid frightening it with dozens of birdwatchers and big cameras. Nightjars are found in other parts of the UK during the summer months, most commonly in southern England, but it is very unusual to see one so far north. The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) confirmed that there has been no confirmed breeding of nightjars in Northern Ireland recently. The results of Birdwatch Ireland's 2025 nightjar survey are expected to be released within weeks. Nightjars are small, nocturnal birds with large dark eyes, pointed wings, and long tails. They have short, narrow beaks, but their mouths open very wide to enable them to hunt insects and moths in mid-flight. Their feathers are a mottled mix of brown, grey, beige, and white, allowing them to camouflage themselves as they nest in open ground on heaths and moors. The RSPB describes nightjars as slightly smaller than a kestrel but appearing 'falcon-like' when in flight. Their call sounds like 'a strange clockwork toy steadily unwinding'. Nightjars migrate to some areas of the UK and Ireland in late April and May, with southern England being their most popular choice for a summer stay. They are also found in smaller numbers in parts of Wales, northern England, and southwestern Scotland, while a handful have been detected in southeast Ireland. They return to sub-Saharan Africa in August and September. The UK's population of nightjars decreased during the latter part of the last century, falling by 51% between 1972 and 1992 due to habitat loss. But conservation efforts in recent years, including the restoration of lowland heath, have helped numbers recover, according to the RSPB.
