Cuban Nightjar vs Archbold's Nightjar
Antrostomus cubanensis compared with Eurostopodus archboldi
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Cuban Nightjar | Archbold's Nightjar |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Antrostomus cubanensis | Eurostopodus archboldi |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Caprimulgidae | Caprimulgidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 35.0 cm (13.8 in) | 41.0 cm (16.1 in) |
| Weight | 71.4 g (2.52 oz) | 77.0 g (2.72 oz) |
| Diet | Hawks moths and flying insects at night over Cuban dry forest and coastal scrub. | Aerial insectivore; catches moths and beetles in nocturnal flight over New Guinea montane forest. |
| Clutch Size | 1-2 | 1 |
| 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
Archbold's Nightjar
Rarely recorded; presumed churring nocturnal song; low, resonant trilling typical of genus; vocalizations scarcely documented from highland New Guinea
Geographic Range & Migration
Cuban Nightjar
Endemic to Cuba and the Isle of Youth; resident of open pine woodland, scrub, and savanna.
Archbold's Nightjar
Resident of montane forest in central New Guinea (Snow Mountains and Star Mountains) above 1,500 m; very poorly known.
Conservation Status
Cuban Nightjar
Archbold's Nightjar
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 …
Archbold's Nightjar
Brown and dark grey with rufous-buff vermiculations; whitish throat patch; pale buff supercilium contrasts with darker crown; no white wing or tail patches; tail barred; New Guinea highlands; few records.
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.
Archbold's Nightjar
A small Caprimulgidae nightjar (~77 g) known from subalpine grasslands and forest margins in the interior mountains of New Guinea. Named after naturalist Richard Archbold. Cryptic brown-patterned plumage. Nocturnal insectivore. Infrequently observed; biology largely undescribed. Least Concern in its montane range.