Andaman Nightjar vs Montane Nightjar

Caprimulgus andamanicus compared with Caprimulgus poliocephalus

Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribute Andaman Nightjar Montane Nightjar
Scientific Name Caprimulgus andamanicus Caprimulgus poliocephalus
Order Caprimulgiformes Caprimulgiformes
Family Caprimulgidae Caprimulgidae
Conservation Status Least Concern Least Concern
Length — —
Wingspan 36.4 cm (14.3 in) 31.1 cm (12.2 in)
Weight 66.06666666666666 g (2.33 oz) 47.050000000000004 g (1.66 oz)
Diet Night-hunting insectivore targeting moths, flying beetles, and winged ants in erratic low-altitude aerial passes. --
Clutch Size 1-2 2
Population Trend — —

Habitat Comparison

Shared Habitats

Andaman Nightjar only

None

Montane Nightjar only

None

Song & Call Comparison

Andaman Nightjar

Song

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

Montane Nightjar

Song

Churring trill from East African highlands; repetitive 'churr-churr-churr'; slightly higher pitched than lowland species; calls from highland scrub and forest edge

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.

Montane Nightjar

Conservation Status

Least Concern

Andaman Nightjar

Least Concern

Montane Nightjar

How to Tell Them Apart

Andaman Nightjar

Plumage

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 …

Montane Nightjar

Plumage

Grey-brown upperparts with fine blackish streaks; pale grey head contrasting slightly with browner back; white throat patch; underparts buff barred brown; inhabits high-altitude montane zones in East Africa.

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.

Montane Nightjar

A medium-sized nightjar (23-24 cm) found in montane forests and high-altitude grasslands of eastern and southern Africa, from Ethiopia to South Africa. Grey-brown plumage with fine mottling. Nocturnal insectivore, feeding above the forest canopy. Resident at elevations above 1,500 m.

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