Chuck-will's-widow vs Lesser Nighthawk
Antrostomus carolinensis compared with Chordeiles acutipennis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Chuck-will's-widow | Lesser Nighthawk |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Antrostomus carolinensis | Chordeiles acutipennis |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Caprimulgidae | Caprimulgidae |
| Conservation Status | Near Threatened | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 41.5 cm (16.3 in) | 33.0 cm (13.0 in) |
| Weight | 112.94000000000001 g (3.98 oz) | 50.0 g (1.76 oz) |
| Diet | Hawks large moths, beetles, and flying insects at night; large gape allows capture of small … | Hawks small flying insects at dusk and dawn over North and South American arid scrub … |
| Clutch Size | 2 | 1-2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
None
Chuck-will's-widow only
Lesser Nighthawk only
Song & Call Comparison
Chuck-will's-widow
Loud, whistled 'chuck-WILL's-WI-dow'; rich and rolling; lower and fuller than Whip-poor-will; carries far through southeastern US forest; calls persistently all night
Lesser Nighthawk
Loud purring trill; buzzy 'brrrrr' given in flight; lower and softer than Common Nighthawk; males display with booming wingbeats; calls at dusk over deserts
Geographic Range & Migration
Chuck-will's-widow
Breeds in dense woodland and forest edge in eastern North America from the Gulf states north to southern Ontario; winters in Cuba and Central America.
Lesser Nighthawk
Breeds in open arid scrub from southwestern USA south through Central America to western South America; winters in Mexico and northern South America.
Conservation Status
Chuck-will's-widow
Lesser Nighthawk
How to Tell Them Apart
Chuck-will's-widow
Large; warm brown and buff mottled above with rufous tones; buff-brown throat collar; white inner webs of outer tail feathers in male; male with white gorget; female has buff throat …
Lesser Nighthawk
Brown and buff mottled above; buff-white below with brown barring; white throat in male; white wing bar closer to wingtip than in Common Nighthawk; buff tail band. Female with buff …
About These Birds
Chuck-will's-widow
North America's largest Caprimulgidae nightjar (~113 g), breeding in open pine and oak woodland of the southeastern United States, wintering in the Caribbean and Central America. Named for its loud, distinctive call. Feeds on large moths, beetles, and occasionally small birds. Near Threatened from habitat loss.
Lesser Nighthawk
A small Caprimulgidae nighthawk (~50 g) of deserts, semi-arid scrub, and open woodland from the southwestern United States to Peru and Brazil. Brown-and-buff patterned; males have a white throat bar. Low, buoyant flight close to the ground at dusk. Hunts insects aerially. Migratory; Least Concern.