Australian Owlet-nightjar vs New Caledonian Owlet-nightjar
Aegotheles cristatus compared with Aegotheles savesi
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Australian Owlet-nightjar | New Caledonian Owlet-nightjar |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Aegotheles cristatus | Aegotheles savesi |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Aegothelidae | Aegothelidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Critically Endangered |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 27.2 cm (10.7 in) | 32.6 cm (12.8 in) |
| Weight | 48.0 g (1.69 oz) | 55.5 g (1.96 oz) |
| Diet | Crepuscular to nocturnal; feeds on large beetles, moths, and flying insects by aerial sallies and … | Night hunter of beetles, large moths, and termites; combines aerial sallying with gleaning on tree … |
| Clutch Size | 2-5 | -- |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
Australian Owlet-nightjar only
New Caledonian Owlet-nightjar only
None
Song & Call Comparison
Australian Owlet-nightjar
Loud, churring 'churr-churr' and yapping 'quee-quee'; distinctive churring trill; calls at night from tree hollows in Australian woodland; alarm a sharp yapping series
New Caledonian Owlet-nightjar
Extremely poorly known; presumed churring trill; critically endangered with fewer than 50 individuals; no confirmed recordings from New Caledonian forest
Geographic Range & Migration
Australian Owlet-nightjar
Found throughout Australia including Tasmania. Resident in woodland, mallee scrub, and suburban areas. Australia's most widespread owlet-nightjar.
New Caledonian Owlet-nightjar
Possibly extinct; known from one specimen from New Caledonia collected in 1880. Critically Endangered; may survive in dense humid forest.
Conservation Status
Australian Owlet-nightjar
New Caledonian Owlet-nightjar
How to Tell Them Apart
Australian Owlet-nightjar
Grey-brown upperparts with dark brown barring; underparts pale buff finely barred dark; facial disc with bold dark bars; small crest feathers; two morphs—grey and rufous-brown; commonly seen perching upright in …
New Caledonian Owlet-nightjar
Dark brown upperparts with buff barring; underparts pale buff barred dark brown; facial disc with dark surround; large for genus; critically endangered New Caledonian endemic known from very few records …
About These Birds
Australian Owlet-nightjar
A small owlet-nightjar (21-25 cm), the most widespread and familiar member of its family. Found across Australia and southern New Guinea. Grey or rufous plumage with bold dark streaks and a distinctive facial disc. Nocturnal insectivore nesting in tree hollows. Resident and common.
New Caledonian Owlet-nightjar
An extremely rare and possibly extinct owlet-nightjar (28 cm) endemic to New Caledonia. Known from a single specimen collected in 1880 and one probable sighting in 1998. Classified as Critically Endangered. Believed to inhabit humid montane forest. Ecology virtually unknown.