It is widespread in South America, where it is found in the Andes, Venezuelan Coastal Range, Santa Marta Mountains, Tepuis, most of Chile, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, and eastern Brazil.

It occurs in a wide range of habitats, from the edge of humid montane forests to shrubby semi-deserts and urban rooftops.

[4] Over its large range, there are significant variations in its morphology, but, as suggested by its common name, it always has a distinctive band in the wing (best visible in flight), which is white in the male and buff in the female.

[4] Unlike males, females have a yellowish-brown throat; across the 7th-10th primaries, a brownish orange to yellowish brown is denoted and the tail lacks white marks.

Juveniles and immatures are similar to the adults but less specked, with a small brownish-orange band narrow at the primary feathers.

[4] Fledglings are born with cryptic plumules that help them blend in with the surrounding ground material to avoid predation.

The first flights or short glides begin after the 12th day under the vigilance of an adult (it is not specified if the care is shared by parents or is it just one), and displacement of fledglings increases with time.

The territorial tone is a high-sharp whistle, seeeeert sweeeert seeeet, constantly repeated every 1 to 3 seconds.

[4] The band-winged nightjar is a South American species that can be found at elevations of up to 4200 m. Its habitat ranges from the forest edge to semi-arid shrublands, open areas, and even on the roofs of buildings.

In Rio de Janeiro, band-winged nightjars have shown a behavioural plasticity, as they roost near sources of light in order to eat the insects that are attracted there.

Usually, they lay 1-2 elliptical eggs each breeding season, which vary in colour from creamy pink, whitish, spotted brown, lilac, and grey.