Rufous Nightjar vs Spotted Nightjar
Antrostomus rufus compared with Eurostopodus argus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Rufous Nightjar | Spotted Nightjar |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Antrostomus rufus | Eurostopodus argus |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Caprimulgidae | Caprimulgidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 33.8 cm (13.3 in) | 42.7 cm (16.8 in) |
| Weight | 87.0 g (3.07 oz) | 102.5 g (3.62 oz) |
| Diet | Nocturnal aerial insectivore; catches large moths and beetles in low aerial sallies over South American … | Aerial insectivore; hawks large moths, beetles, and flying insects at dusk and dawn over Australian … |
| 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
Spotted Nightjar
Loud churring 'good-lord-deliver-us' repeated at dusk; melodic bubbling quality; also emits hollow 'cow-cow-cow' series and soft frog-like croaking
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.
Spotted Nightjar
Resident and partial migrant of open woodland, grassland, and scrub across mainland Australia and migrating to New Guinea and Indonesia in winter.
Conservation Status
Rufous Nightjar
Spotted 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 …
Spotted Nightjar
Cryptically mottled grey-brown, rufous, and black with intricate vermiculations; distinctive large white spots on wing coverts; white throat patch; no white in wings or tail. Sexes similar with slight pattern …
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.
Spotted Nightjar
A medium Caprimulgidae nightjar (~103 g) of open woodland, spinifex grassland, and rocky ridges across mainland Australia. Intricately spotted and barred brown, grey, and buff. Cryptic by day on the ground among leaf litter. Crepuscular and nocturnal; feeds on flying insects caught in aerial pursuit. Least Concern.