The Family Aegothelidae comprises the owlet-nightjars, a small group of nocturnal birds found mainly in Australasia and parts of Southeast Asia. They are small, cryptically colored birds with soft plumage, short legs, and wide mouths adapted for catching flying insects in the dark. Owlet-nightjars are largely insectivorous, feeding on moths, beetles, and other airborne insects during the night. They nest in tree hollows or crevices, and their secretive, silent behavior makes them difficult to observe. Aegothelidae are considered primitive relatives of nightjars, displaying unique anatomical traits that link them to early nocturnal bird lineages.