Rufous Nightjar vs Archbold's Nightjar
Antrostomus rufus compared with Eurostopodus archboldi
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Rufous Nightjar | Archbold's Nightjar |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Antrostomus rufus | Eurostopodus archboldi |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Caprimulgidae | Caprimulgidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 33.8 cm (13.3 in) | 41.0 cm (16.1 in) |
| Weight | 87.0 g (3.07 oz) | 77.0 g (2.72 oz) |
| Diet | Nocturnal aerial insectivore; catches large moths and beetles in low aerial sallies over South American … | 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
Rufous Nightjar
Loud 'chuck-BURR's' or rapid rolling phrase; rich, melodic whistle; carries across South American forest; distinctive chucking intro note before main phrase
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
Rufous Nightjar
Resident of open woodland and scrub in tropical South America from Colombia, Venezuela, and Trinidad south through Brazil to Bolivia and Argentina.
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
Rufous Nightjar
Archbold's Nightjar
How to Tell Them Apart
Rufous Nightjar
Strongly rufous-brown overall with dark brown vermiculations; buff throat patch; white inner tail webs on outer tail feathers in male; no white gorget; uniformly rufous tones diagnostic among South American …
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
Rufous Nightjar
A medium Caprimulgidae nightjar (~87 g) of tropical dry forest, scrubby woodland, and clearings in Central and South America. Rich rufous-brown plumage makes it one of the more distinctively coloured nightjars. Calls with a rolling 'chuck-will's-widow'-like phrase in Spanish-speaking regions. Feeds on large insects. Least Concern.
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.