Nightjars are declining heathland birds whose welfare depends on extensive open heathland with short vegetation for nesting and foraging for large moths.
Ground-nesting nightjars face welfare risks from nest disturbance by dogs and humans accessing heathland during the breeding season. Disturbed nests where eggs or chicks are abandoned expose developing young to cold and predation. The highly specialised foraging niche of nightjars - hawking large moths at dusk from heathland - means that habitat degradation causes chronic nutritional stress as prey availability falls with heathland loss.