My first thought was an owl. I know they definately are. There are different ones. Others are
 
Families Strigidae & Tytonidae ( which are owls), Podargidae (Frogmouths)
Caprimulgidae ( nightjars) & Aegothelidae ( Owlett-nightjar)
 
Most of them are beautiful Birdsl
 
Powerful Owl
Masked Owl
White-throated Nightjar
Southern Boobook
Barn Owl
Australian Owlet-nightjar
 

Here is just one picture. I can give you a link to a page that will show you all of them.
 
http://photogallery.canberrabirds.org.au/nocturnal_birds.htm
 
I have seen Bats in our area they fly very irradict and in CA here they are mainly black. You can look them up also.
 
Hope this helps.

 It sounds like your describing a type of bat...They are not actually attracted to the light, its the small bugs flying around the light, that they are eating.