Goatsucker \Goat"suck`er\, n. (Zo["o]l.) One of several species of insectivorous birds, belonging to {Caprimulgus} and allied genera, esp. the European species ({Caprimulgus Europ[ae]us}); -- so called from the mistaken notion that it sucks goats. The European species is also {goat-milker}, {goat owl}, {goat chaffer}, {fern owl}, {night hawk}, {nightjar}, {night churr}, {churr-owl}, {gnat hawk}, and {dorhawk}.