How long do nightjar eggs take to hatch, and how soon do the chicks fledge?

Nightjars develop quickly. Incubation takes about 18 days, and the young reach the fledging stage roughly another 18 days after hatching. From laying to fledging takes a little over five weeks.

That short period doesn't make the nest site any less important. The eggs are laid on bare ground with no nest built around them, so the eggs or young can be very hard to see, and their camouflage relies partly on staying still. A disturbance at the wrong moment can do real harm. The best approach is to listen from a path on a warm evening and leave the ground nearby alone.

Sources

• Nightjars
• BTO BirdFacts: Nightjar

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