Cuban Nightjar vs Lesser Nighthawk
Antrostomus cubanensis compared with Chordeiles acutipennis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Cuban Nightjar | Lesser Nighthawk |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Antrostomus cubanensis | Chordeiles acutipennis |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Caprimulgidae | Caprimulgidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 35.0 cm (13.8 in) | 33.0 cm (13.0 in) |
| Weight | 71.4 g (2.52 oz) | 50.0 g (1.76 oz) |
| Diet | Hawks moths and flying insects at night over Cuban dry forest and coastal scrub. | Hawks small flying insects at dusk and dawn over North and South American arid scrub … |
| Clutch Size | 1-2 | 1-2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Cuban Nightjar
Rich, whistled 'chip-CHURR-wee' or 'whip-poor-will' variant; melodic rolling phrase; calls from Cuban pine forest at night; similar to Whip-poor-will but warmer toned
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
Cuban Nightjar
Endemic to Cuba and the Isle of Youth; resident of open pine woodland, scrub, and savanna.
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
Cuban Nightjar
Lesser Nighthawk
How to Tell Them Apart
Cuban Nightjar
Brown and grey mottled with dark vermiculations; white gorget in male; white inner tail feather webs in male; buff throat and buff tail markings in female; overall pattern similar to …
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
Cuban Nightjar
A medium Caprimulgidae nightjar (~71 g) endemic to Cuba and the Isle of Youth. Inhabits dry and semi-deciduous forest, woodland edges, and scrub. Cryptic brown-grey plumage. Males call 'que-to-do, que-to-do' repeatedly at night. Feeds on flying insects. Least Concern within its island range.
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.