Afro-tropical nightjar activity and occurrence across a gradient of skyglow exposure

Light pollution affects organisms through, for example, attraction, disorientation, or changes in biorhythms. The European Nightjar adjusts its activity patterns under the influence of so-called skyglow, a diffuse glow that spreads far beyond urban areas. Skyglow is also increasing in (sub)tropical regions, but its effects are hardly known. In Zambia, the wintering grounds of European Nightjars and home to several local Afrotropical species, we quantify skyglow in three study areas. Using acoustic monitoring and standardized bird counts, we investigate how the presence and singing activity are impacted by light pollution.