Buff-collared Nightjar vs Papuan Nightjar
Antrostomus ridgwayi compared with Eurostopodus papuensis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Buff-collared Nightjar | Papuan Nightjar |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Antrostomus ridgwayi | Eurostopodus papuensis |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Caprimulgidae | Caprimulgidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 30.0 cm (11.8 in) | 37.9 cm (14.9 in) |
| Weight | 49.5 g (1.75 oz) | 80.5 g (2.84 oz) |
| Diet | Catches moths and flying insects at night over arid scrub and rocky canyons of Mexico … | Hawks large flying insects, especially moths, at night over Papuan forest and savanna. |
| Clutch Size | 2 | 1 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
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
Papuan Nightjar
Churring, repetitive nocturnal call; soft bubbling trill; melodic series of hollow notes; calls from low perch or ground in New Guinea lowland forest
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.
Papuan Nightjar
Resident of savanna woodland, grass, and scrub in lowland New Guinea (Papua, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea).
Conservation Status
Buff-collared Nightjar
Papuan Nightjar
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 …
Papuan Nightjar
Dark grey-brown finely vermiculated with buff and black; pale buff and rufous throat patch; pale supercilium; no white wing patches; tail barred brown and buff; cryptically patterned bark-mimicking plumage.
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.
Papuan Nightjar
A small Caprimulgidae nightjar (~81 g) of lowland savanna, grassland, and forest edges across the southern lowlands of New Guinea. Cryptic buff-and-brown plumage; white-spotted wings visible in flight. Nocturnal aerial insectivore. Commonly heard at night but rarely seen by day. Least Concern.