Nightjars are migratory birds of heathland and open woodland whose populations depend on specialized habitat that has declined dramatically. Their cryptic nature makes welfare assessment and monitoring particularly challenging.
Nightjar welfare is primarily affected by habitat availability and disturbance during breeding. The ground-nesting habit makes eggs and chicks vulnerable to trampling by people walking off-path on heathland at night. Nest abandonment through disturbance means egg and chick mortality - a significant welfare outcome at the population level. Conservation management that maintains open heathland structure provides the habitat necessary for foraging (catching moths and beetles in flight) and nesting. The recovery trend reflects successful heathland management policy, but climate change is shifting the availability of moth prey species, potentially creating food availability challenges for nightjar chicks.