Caprimulgidae

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A family of nocturnal birds known for their plumage that resembles the environment they inhabit and their silent flight habits
2. These birds often exhibit a unique feeding strategy by foraging insects while in flight
3. Characterized by their elaborate courtship displays and distinctive calls, they inhabit various regions around the world

Etymology: Caprimulgidae is the scientific family name for nightjars and their relatives, and it is a Latin coinage built from two words meaning "goat" and "milker." The old folk belief was that these birds sucked milk from goats at night, an idea that goes back to classical times, when Greek and Roman writers repeated it. The birds do not drink milk, of course; they feed on moths and other flying insects caught in the air. The name was formalised by taxonomists, who used Latin roots to name family groups in the scientific classification of birds. The genus name "Caprimulgus" was coined by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 system, and the family name was later formed from it by adding the standard Latin family ending "-idae." The myth thus survives in the vocabulary of modern ornithology, even though no one studying the birds believes it.

Synonyms: nightjar, nighthawk, INVALID, INVALID, INVALID