European nightjars stay up way longer and hunt more bugs on bright, moonlit nights than on dark ones — it’s like they’re using the moon as a nightlight to help them see their dinner.

European nightjars stay up late hunting bugs, and they seem to do it more when the moon is bright—probably because the extra light helps them see their dinner better.

The moon's light changes how much food night-migrating birds can find, which affects their energy levels during travel.

Freckled Nightjars are more likely to go into energy-saving mode based on how bright the moon is than on how cold it is, which means they might be using the moonlight to hunt instead of just reacting to the temperature.

European nightjars don’t stay longer at rest stops just to take advantage of bright moonlit nights—they actually leave about a week after the full moon, following a set schedule instead of waiting for the best lighting conditions.

Freckled Nightjars are night birds that sometimes chill out and go into energy-saving mode during dark nights—even when there's plenty of food. It seems they do this not because they're hungry, but because it's too dark to hunt well.