Great eared nightjars, on the other hand, appear to be right out of a fantasy film, and fortunately for us, they are really real.

These birds, for whatever reason, don’t resemble birds at all. They resemble fluffy tiny dragons or creatures from the Harry Potter films more than anything else. In either case, they’re charming and wonderful to look at, and they surely contribute to bringing our favorite fantasy realms to life.

There are other nightjar species, but none are nearly as distinctive as these small dragons. The huge eared nightjar is a one-of-a-kind species.