Andaman Nightjar vs Ocellated Poorwill
Caprimulgus andamanicus compared with Nyctiphrynus ocellatus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Andaman Nightjar | Ocellated Poorwill |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Caprimulgus andamanicus | Nyctiphrynus ocellatus |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Caprimulgidae | Caprimulgidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 36.4 cm (14.3 in) | 25.1 cm (9.9 in) |
| Weight | 66.06666666666666 g (2.33 oz) | 38.12 g (1.34 oz) |
| Diet | Night-hunting insectivore targeting moths, flying beetles, and winged ants in erratic low-altitude aerial passes. | Nocturnal aerial insectivore; hawks moths and small insects over South American forest interior. |
| 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
Ocellated Poorwill
Soft, repeated 'oo-whirr'; gentle purring whistle from Amazonian forest floor; calls at night from ground perch; quiet and easily overlooked despite continuous calling
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.
Ocellated Poorwill
Resident of lowland and foothill forest edge, secondary growth, and scrub from Nicaragua south through Panama and northwestern Colombia to Peru.
Conservation Status
Andaman Nightjar
Ocellated Poorwill
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 …
Ocellated Poorwill
Brown mottled above with distinctive buff and rufous ocellated spots on wing coverts giving spotted appearance; pale buff below with dark barring; white throat in male; small white tail spots; …
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.
Ocellated Poorwill
A small Caprimulgidae poorwill (~38 g) of lowland and foothill rainforest understorey from Nicaragua through the Amazon Basin. Named for pale ocellate spots on the wing coverts visible at rest. Roosts on or near the ground; feeds on insects nocturnally. Secretive and infrequently recorded. Least Concern.