This nightjar is found in the tepui region of southeastern Venezuela, Guyana, and northern Brazil. Its dark, cryptic plumage suits its mountain environment, and it feeds mainly at night on insects.
Resting adults have dark upperparts marked with cinnamon, buff, grey-white, or tawny spots, and barred brown underparts. In flight, males show conspicuous white marks at the outer tail tips; females have smaller tail spots and buff outer-wing streaks.
It is nocturnal and crepuscular and feeds almost entirely on insects. A recent account records a single egg laid on the ground among stones, twigs, and leaf litter near El Pauji in March–April.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.