Dusky Nightjar vs Cayenne Nightjar
Antrostomus saturatus compared with Setopagis maculosa
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Dusky Nightjar | Cayenne Nightjar |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Antrostomus saturatus | Setopagis maculosa |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Caprimulgidae | Caprimulgidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Data Deficient |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 28.9 cm (11.4 in) | 27.8 cm (10.9 in) |
| Weight | 51.95 g (1.83 oz) | 47.0 g (1.66 oz) |
| Diet | Nocturnal aerial insectivore; hawks moths and beetles over Costa Rican and Panamanian forest. | Catches flying insects in aerial pursuit at night over South American forest and scrub. |
| Clutch Size | 1 | 1-2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Dusky Nightjar
Soft, repeated 'wherrr-wherrr'; gentle churring whistle from Costa Rican highlands; calls from cloud forest at night; moderate pace with slight upward inflection
Cayenne Nightjar
Poorly known vocalizations; presumed churring trill based on genus; extremely rare recordings; distinct from other Setopagis by subtle tonal and rhythm differences
Geographic Range & Migration
Dusky Nightjar
Resident of highland forest and forest edge in Costa Rica and western Panama, at 1,000–2,500 m; closely tied to Chirripó massif.
Cayenne Nightjar
Known from a few specimens from French Guiana; possibly a rare resident of coastal forest and scrub; poorly known.
Conservation Status
Dusky Nightjar
Cayenne Nightjar
How to Tell Them Apart
Dusky Nightjar
Darker and more saturated than related nightjars; dark brown-grey with buff mottling and dark vermiculations; white gorget in male; pale buff barred underparts; small white outer tail spots; Costa Rican …
Cayenne Nightjar
Brown and buff mottled above with dark vermiculations; pale buff below with darker barring; white throat patch in male; outer tail spots white; data deficient; known from only a handful …
About These Birds
Dusky Nightjar
A medium-small Caprimulgidae nightjar (~52 g) of montane forest and forest edges in Costa Rica and western Panama above 900 m. Dark sooty-brown plumage with faint paler barring. Calls with a repeated churring phrase at night. Feeds on flying insects in montane cloud forest. Least Concern; range restricted but stable.
Cayenne Nightjar
A small Caprimulgidae nightjar (~47 g) from coastal French Guiana and adjacent Suriname. Known from only a handful of specimens; biology essentially unknown. Mottled brown plumage presumed cryptic in leaf litter. Presumed nocturnal insectivore. Data Deficient due to extreme rarity of confirmed records in the wild.