Andaman Nightjar vs Scrub Nightjar

Caprimulgus andamanicus compared with Nyctidromus anthonyi

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Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribute Andaman Nightjar Scrub Nightjar
Scientific Name Caprimulgus andamanicus Nyctidromus anthonyi
Order Caprimulgiformes Caprimulgiformes
Family Caprimulgidae Caprimulgidae
Conservation Status Least Concern Least Concern
Length
Wingspan 36.4 cm (14.3 in) 24.8 cm (9.8 in)
Weight 66.06666666666666 g (2.33 oz) 36.2 g (1.28 oz)
Diet Night-hunting insectivore targeting moths, flying beetles, and winged ants in erratic low-altitude aerial passes. Catches flying insects in nocturnal aerial sallies over arid scrub of Ecuador and Peru.
Clutch Size 1-2 1-2
Population Trend
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Habitat Comparison

Shared Habitats

Andaman Nightjar only

None

Scrub Nightjar only

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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

Scrub Nightjar

Song

Whistled churring phrases; melodic 'pweer-pweer' series; similar to Pauraque but drier and less rich; calls from scrubby desert at night; contact a soft 'chuck'

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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.

Scrub Nightjar

Resident of arid scrub, dry woodland, and coastal zones in western Ecuador and northwestern Peru.

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Conservation Status

Least Concern

Andaman Nightjar

Least Concern

Scrub Nightjar

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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 …

Scrub Nightjar

Plumage

Pale sandy-brown with fine dark brown vermiculations; white throat patch; white outer tail feathers in male; no white wing bar; smaller and paler overall than Pauraque; buff outer tail in …

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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.

Scrub Nightjar

A small Caprimulgidae nightjar (~36 g) of arid coastal scrub and thorn-scrub in southwestern Ecuador and northwestern Peru. Pale sandy-buff and brown plumage suits its xeric habitat. Closely related to the Pauraque but smaller and paler. Nocturnal insectivore; calls at dusk. Least Concern in its limited range.

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