It is found in Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela.

Its upperparts are blackish brown with tawny, grayish white, and cinnamon spots.

Its tail is dark brown with indistinct lighter bars and mottling and (on the male) a white tip.

They inhabit lowland evergreen forest, but are mostly found on or near open rock outcroppings or on sand and gravel bars along small rivers.

The blackish nightjar's song is short, "a soft, purring pu'r'r'r'r't or qu'r'r'r'rt".

They also make a cluck or ptink alarm call and a "guttural hissing" threat display.