Andaman Nightjar vs Scissor-tailed Nightjar
Caprimulgus andamanicus compared with Hydropsalis torquata
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Andaman Nightjar | Scissor-tailed Nightjar |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Caprimulgus andamanicus | Hydropsalis torquata |
| 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) | 54.625 g (1.93 oz) |
| Diet | Night-hunting insectivore targeting moths, flying beetles, and winged ants in erratic low-altitude aerial passes. | Catches moths, beetles, and flying insects in aerial sallies at night over South American savanna. |
| 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
Scissor-tailed Nightjar
Loud, clear churring 'quurrr'; repetitive at moderate pitch; calls from open cerrado at dusk; males call persistently from prominent perches; alarm a sharp 'chek'
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.
Scissor-tailed Nightjar
Resident of open savanna, cerrado, and scrub from Colombia and Venezuela south through Brazil to Bolivia and northern Argentina.
Conservation Status
Andaman Nightjar
Scissor-tailed 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 …
Scissor-tailed Nightjar
Male with enormously elongated outer tail feathers to 25 cm forming scissors in flight; brown and buff mottled body; white throat; white wing spots. Female brown mottled with normal tail …
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.
Scissor-tailed Nightjar
A medium Caprimulgidae nightjar (~55 g) of open woodland, cerrado, and grassland in eastern and central South America. Males possess spectacularly long scissor-like outer tail feathers. Common around cattle pastures and agricultural land. Feeds on large moths and beetles at night. Least Concern across its broad range.