Buff-collared Nightjar vs Lesser Nighthawk
Antrostomus ridgwayi compared with Chordeiles acutipennis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Buff-collared Nightjar | Lesser Nighthawk |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Antrostomus ridgwayi | Chordeiles acutipennis |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Caprimulgidae | Caprimulgidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 30.0 cm (11.8 in) | 33.0 cm (13.0 in) |
| Weight | 49.5 g (1.75 oz) | 50.0 g (1.76 oz) |
| Diet | Catches moths and flying insects at night over arid scrub and rocky canyons of Mexico … | 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
Buff-collared Nightjar only
Lesser Nighthawk only
Song & Call Comparison
Buff-collared Nightjar
Rapid, staccato 'cuk-cuk-cuk-WEEEER'; accelerating series ending in long slurred note; carries through arid Mexican canyons; distinctive rapid chucking intro
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
Buff-collared Nightjar
Breeds in arid scrub and dry woodland in southwestern USA (Arizona, New Mexico) and western Mexico; winters south to Honduras.
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
Buff-collared Nightjar
Lesser Nighthawk
How to Tell Them Apart
Buff-collared Nightjar
Brown and grey mottled with dark vermiculations; buff-orange collar across hindneck diagnostic; white gorget in male; pale buff underparts with dark barring; white outer tail spots in male; arid southwest …
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
Buff-collared Nightjar
A medium-small Caprimulgidae nightjar (~50 g) of arid scrub, rocky canyon slopes, and thorn forest from the southwestern United States to Nicaragua. A buff nuchal collar distinguishes it from similar species. Calls with a loud 'cuck-cuck-cuck-coo-chee' phrase. Feeds on moths and beetles. Least Concern.
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.