Andaman Nightjar vs Jerdon's Nightjar
Caprimulgus andamanicus compared with Caprimulgus atripennis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Andaman Nightjar | Jerdon's Nightjar |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Caprimulgus andamanicus | Caprimulgus atripennis |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Caprimulgidae | Caprimulgidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 36.4 cm (14.3 in) | 36.8 cm (14.5 in) |
| Weight | 66.06666666666666 g (2.33 oz) | 58.0 g (2.05 oz) |
| Diet | Night-hunting insectivore targeting moths, flying beetles, and winged ants in erratic low-altitude aerial passes. | Nighttime insectivore catching large moths and beetles in sweeping aerial sallies over rocky hillsides and … |
| Clutch Size | 1-2 | 2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Andaman Nightjar
Loud 'chuck-chuck-trrr'; hollow knocking prefix followed by trill; endemic to Andaman Islands; calls at night from forest edges and clearings; similar to Large-tailed
Jerdon's Nightjar
Loud 'chuck-chuck-chuck-rrr'; hollow knocking 'chuck' notes preceding long trill; calls from South Indian scrub and forest edges; repeats phrase persistently at dusk
Geographic Range & Migration
Andaman Nightjar
Endemic to the Philippines including Luzon and Mindanao. Resident in lowland and submontane forest and forest edge up to 1,800 m.
Jerdon's Nightjar
Found across peninsular India and Sri Lanka, north to Nepal. Resident in dry deciduous forest, scrub jungle, and rocky terrain below 1,500 m.
Conservation Status
Andaman Nightjar
Jerdon's Nightjar
How to Tell Them Apart
Andaman Nightjar
Warm rufous-brown upperparts with black-centred scapulars and pale buff streaks; broad white throat patch; males show white outer tail feathers; underparts buff barred brown; endemic island coloration slightly warmer than …
Jerdon's Nightjar
Dark brownish-black upperparts with pale buff vermiculations; whitish supercilium and moustachial stripe; throat patch white; dark wings with buff-spotted coverts; lacks bold white wing patches of some relatives.
About These Birds
Andaman Nightjar
A medium-sized nightjar (24-26 cm) endemic to the Andaman Islands in the Bay of Bengal. Dark brown plumage with rufous collar spots. Nocturnal insectivore of lowland and mangrove forests. A sedentary species with a restricted island range.
Jerdon's Nightjar
A medium-sized nightjar (24-26 cm) endemic to the Indian subcontinent, found in rocky hillsides and dry deciduous forests of southern India and Sri Lanka. Grey-brown plumage with intricate vermiculations. Nocturnal insectivore with a distinctive churring call at dusk.