Andaman Nightjar vs Blackish Nightjar
Caprimulgus andamanicus compared with Nyctipolus nigrescens
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Andaman Nightjar | Blackish Nightjar |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Caprimulgus andamanicus | Nyctipolus nigrescens |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Caprimulgidae | Caprimulgidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 36.4 cm (14.3 in) | 27.6 cm (10.9 in) |
| Weight | 66.06666666666666 g (2.33 oz) | 35.625 g (1.26 oz) |
| Diet | Night-hunting insectivore targeting moths, flying beetles, and winged ants in erratic low-altitude aerial passes. | Nocturnal aerial insectivore; catches moths and small beetles in flight over South American forest and … |
| Clutch Size | 1-2 | 1 |
| 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
Blackish Nightjar
Soft, purring 'churr' at low volume; gentle repetitive trill from rocky substrate; calls modestly at dusk; alarm a sharp 'chek'; blends with dark rocky habitat
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.
Blackish Nightjar
Resident of rocky outcrops, open woodland, and savanna in northern South America from Venezuela and the Guianas to Colombia and northern Brazil.
Conservation Status
Andaman Nightjar
Blackish 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 …
Blackish Nightjar
Uniformly dark sooty-brown with fine buff and rufous vermiculations; pale buff throat patch; no white wing patches or tail spots; one of the darkest nightjars; closely resembles dark rocky substrates …
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.
Blackish Nightjar
A small, very dark Caprimulgidae nightjar (~36 g) of rocky outcrops and boulder-strewn habitat in northern South America from Venezuela to northeastern Brazil. Dark sooty-brown plumage blends with dark rocks. Roosts motionless on stones by day. Hunts small insects at night. Least Concern in its rocky habitat.